Searching For You
by Stef1981
Summary: Stef (a cop) and Lena(VP) are dating but neither have children. Callie is being fostered by Justina Marks but soon Stef and Lena find out she is being horribly abused and Stef takes her in. It has been a few months that Callie has been living with Stef and she has something to ask her but must deal with the demons of her past. Heavy Stef/Cal.
1. Is That Something You Want?

**Stef (a cop) and Lena(VP) are dating but neither have children. Callie is being fostered by Justina Marks but soon Stef and Lena find out she is being horribly abused and Stef takes her in. It has been a few months that Callie has been living with Stef and she has something to ask her but must deal with the demons of her past. Heavy Stef/Cal. Possibly only a few chapters and the first chapter is in the present.**

Callie POV

I wasn't sure how I was going to ask her or if she would even say yes I thought to myself as I splashed the warm San Diego water around with my feet and watched them dig into the soft beach sand. The California sun was just beginning to set and it was my favorite time of the day as I looked to the horizon and saw the bright yellow and orange colors glowing from it, which was such a stark contrast from the gloomy days of the Midwest sky I had grown up in. The warmth of the air and the breeze felt good as for the first time in all my life I was finally able to relax and breathe with very few cares in the world. The bruises that once covered my arms, and my legs were now faded. The burns that had filled my face, back and stomach were slowly beginning to heal and I had finally been bold enough to wear a two piece bathing suit. As I continued to splash in the water every once in awhile I would look back towards the beach to see my foster mom, Stef, and her girlfriend, Lena, soaking up the sun and chatting away. In my mind I was still so fearful that my foster mother would one day leave and leave me alone to fend for myself, to leave me out in the world again, to leave me and to no longer want me, that she would get sick of me and my issues, that she would get sick of me period. It was embarrassing to feel this way at 15 and it was embarrassing to have to keep needing this constant reassurance from her on a daily basis that she would never leave me. But it never bothered her to keep telling me from what I sensed and she told me everyday. I continued to stare at the two as if it had not been for them I might have been dead. Lena wasn't just Stef's girlfriend but she was also the Vice Principal of my school. When I first met her a few months ago her friendliness scared me because I didn't trust that it was real. I was waiting for her and I was waiting for Stef to begin the verbal abuse, to begin to tell me I meant nothing and I was nothing. I was waiting for them to strike me, I was waiting for them to pick up where others had left off. I was always just waiting. But it had never happened. Not once. They had in fact done the opposite. They had saved me. Both of them.

Stef, she was another story one that I could write a book about one day. As I continued to stare back at her I watched her long blonde hair blow in the wind as she sat in the sand with her cop uniform on. Every night she took me to the beach when she got off work because she knew I loved it and she would rush home after her shift never coming inside to change her clothes as I stood by the door waiting for her as we had just enough time to get here before the sun set. In the beginning I never understand why she did this for me. Why she cared so much and she cared from day one. That always confused me and still does from time to time. Just the way she treated me from the first night I went home with her was so foreign to me that I barely could speak to her. I barely could look at her and I barely let her touch me or anything. I was much too afraid. I was much too terrified. But now she was my friend, she was my best friend and I never let her go and she never let me go. I wanted terribly for her to be my mom...but I just didn't know how to ask her. I didn't know how to form the words as their was still a part of me that believed I was nothing. That I didn't deserve her. That I was still a nobody.

"I'm still here baby looking at you!" I came out of my mind and heard Stef yell and wave at me like she always did every time I looked back to her. I nodded at her and smiled back widely as Lena waved as well big and wide. I looked back at the sun and then looked back at the two most important women in my life and I saw them share a kiss with one another. I couldn't help but smile and turn back to the sun. I was planning on asking her today but I was chickening out and I had not planned on Lena coming. Of course I didn't mind her being here but it made it a littler harder to ask.

"Callie don't be so stupid. This home is just temporary until they find me a permanent one. That was the agreement. Why would she want me? No one ever has. Why would she want me to be Callie Foster? " I shook my head at my stupid idea as I knew my heart wanted it so badly and I just couldn't shake it off. My mind was continuing to be flooded and I continued to second guess myself until I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped. I looked up seeing Stef looking down at me and she squeezed my hand softly as she always did.

"I'm sorry love I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, no it's ok I was just looking at the sun and got caught up in my thoughts." I looked down at the sand and held her hand tighter.

"That's ok sweets I know how much you love the sunsets love." She said placing her arm around me and squeezing me close into her uniform. I rested my head on her chest as I loved the comfort and protectiveness she provided. It had taken me a very long time to even let Stef so much as to gently touch my shoulder or rub my hand. It had actually taken months as I was completely horrified. Even now once in awhile I found myself sometimes still flinching and she would gently reassure me that I could take all the time in the world to feel ok and comfortable. She never lost patience ever. As I felt her hold me closer and kiss the top of my head my mind quickly went back to the question I so badly wanted to ask her and I tried to get my lips to move.

"Stef?" I got the nerve to finally say.

"Yes baby?" I looked up to her and stared at her profile that looked out into the sunset.

"I...I don't want to leave you." I stuttered as I quickly moved my eyes to look down at the sand. That was not what I intended to say but it was what came out. Now what? I had already said too much and just wanted to pull away from her but she gently pulled away from me and lifted my chin up to look into her intense eyes.

"Who said you have to leave me sweets?" She questioned. I was confused by her answer as she knew this was only temporary too. Unless she forgot.

"Well, I just mean, this isn't like forever and stuff...and I know. And it's just until someone wants me..but." I trailed off again as I continued to embarrassingly stumble over my words. I locked eyes with my foster mom that were sensitive and kind. She let out a soft smile and rubbed the side of my face and moved in to kiss my forehead.

"Who said I don't want you love?"

My face must have given away my shocked expression. Did she just say she might want me? This didn't make sense. This wasn't what I was expecting...I.

"Callie baby, I..I never really intended to have children. I mean I just didn't think I would be any good at it. To be honest I just planned on being a cop since that seemed to be the only thing I was good at. I certainly never intended on falling in love with Lena. That I never saw coming." She laughed and I smiled as she looked deeply into my eyes and held my chin up softly as she always did.

"But you my love, goodness...you were the biggest surprise of my life..and I wasn't sure how to ask you myself as I didn't know if you would want it." Her eyes were beginning to tear which I rarely saw, but I didn't understand what she was saying to me.

"Want what?" I said confused as I didn't know what she was talking about. Unless she really really meant what I thought but that couldn't be possible. Or could it? I just couldn't get my mind to believe she wanted me.

"Callie my love, my sweet girl, I would love more then anything to adopt you if that's what you would like.I would love to be your mother...and." I heard Stef but her voice faded out as I continued to look into her eyes without hearing her. I didn't know if I heard what I thought I heard. I had no idea if I heard it. Or if my mind was playing tricks on me. My heart was beating faster and faster and my stomach that had been filled with knots continuing to be filled with more knots. But was she kidding? Was she playing a joke on me. I didn't know if she was or if she was real. Sometimes my life with Stef felt to good to be real and that scared me because I felt like it could be taken away at any moment. At any single moment it could go back to what it was for the past 15 years. Pain, abuse, loneliness. All the things she tried to erase could come back at any single moment.I..I was speechless. I didn't know how to answer as I wasn't expecting this. Stef wanted to be my mom and my eyes were tearing and hard.

"Callie?" I heard her call my name as I was still deep in thought and I looked back into her tear stained eyes as she wiped mine.

"Baby girl is that not something you want love?"

I just looked into her eyes as the past year of my life flooded back into my mind.


	2. A Few Months Ago

**This chapter takes place a few months before the first chapter.**

CALLIE POV

 _"So don't start any problems and we won't have any problems. Understand?" I heard my foster mother say as we drove up to Anchor Beach School and I sat not moving an inch in the passenger seat of her BMW. I took a napkin out and wiped the blood from my lips that she had split earlier this morning when she slapped me in the mouth._

 _"Yes, ma'am." I responded softly._

 _"Are you stupid. Look at me. You are always took look at me when I talk to you!" I felt her hand grab my face and push it to look at hers almost snapping my neck as I dared not to show pain. That would set her off, everything set her off. Either it did or it didn't as I learned it depended on what mood she was in. Normally it wasn't a very good one. From the outside Justina Marks looked like a friendly middle aged working woman which is what I thought she was. She had seemed happy, successful and comfortable in her life. Originally she had been my social worker since I was moved to San Diego and had even helped get me out of an abusive foster home. I thought she had saved me and I thought she had cared about me. But that was the last thing she felt as she had turned out to be an even bigger monster than any of the homes I had ever been in. Justina had power and she was in a high position that left me feeling powerless and trapped. She threatened me daily that if I told, if I told anyone she would have my head. She would make sure I was put in the worst group home ever because she said she knew about all of them. There was no escaping her and I felt more trapped than ever. The only hope I had to go on was that I would be 18 in three years and I just had to survive until then. That was if she didn't kill me by then. I continued to look fearfully into her eyes as my lip began to bleed again as I heard an outside school bell ring and she finally let go of me._

 _"Don't be such a baby. That slap I gave you this morning couldn't have hurt that bad. Just pat it and it will be fine. It's your fault anyway as I told you not to mouth off at me. All you have to do is listen Callie. But you just refuse to." She shook her head as I looked toward her and patted my lip dry._

 _"Justina I…"..but before I could get another word out she grabbed my arm but as sneaky as she was about it she grabbed it in a way that no one on the outside could see how hard and painful she had done it._

 _"You talk only when I tell you. Do you know why?" Her voice was mean and cruel and my eyes were stinging so bad from the pain of how she was gripping my arm so tight and twisting the skin. I swallowed hard as I felt a lump in my throat and I just wanted her to be done I just wanted so badly to fade away into nothing as I tried to put my mind elsewhere, somewhere, anywhere as I looked into her eyes again and she smirked at me._

 _"Well of course you don't know why because you're just so stupid that it's unbelievable. Well I'll tell you why since you will never figure it out. It's because the truth is you are nothing to be honest. You are literally just nothing and because you are nothing your little opinion doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, and your feelings don't matter,because you don't matter. Let me tell you something you are lucky anyone even acknowledges your presence. Very lucky as you are nothing but a damaged foster kid that no one in their right mind wants so you better get on your hands and knees and pray everyday and you better be glad that I even let you breath the same air I do."_

 _Her words no matter how hard I tried to block them out stung like knives. And made me sick to my stomach as I knew as soon as I got in the school I would throw up. Her grip became even tighter as she smiled at me knowing she was hurting me and the tears started to fall down my cheek. The tears I was trying so hard to hold back._

 _"Justina please...I will..." I would say anything she wanted at this point for I just wanted her to stop._

 _"You will what. Oh you will listen? she said twisting harder._

 _"Yes,,yes please." I begged._

 _"I should bend your arm back and break it. Now that would be funny."_

 _My stomach turned as the pain was making me horribly nauseous._

 _"Uh. Just get out as I have more important things to do than mess with you in the car Ms. Nobody." She said smiling in an angry voice and finally letting go of my arm which was throbbing in pain._

 _"And remember what I said about those clothes. You get anything on them even so much as a pen mark and I will be wiping your face with the floor tonight."_

 _"Yes ma'am." I slowly bent down and grabbed my new backpack that she gotten and gently got out of the car carefully not slamming the door. I turned away fearfully and heard her speed away as I then was finally able to breath and I let out a sigh of relief. School was the only escape I had and I cherished every second of it. Putting her out of my mind I looked around seeing the crowds of kids heading into the school but that was not what caught my attention. The beach. In all my life I had never been to the beach and I had wanted to so bad. I wanted to feel the warm water on my feet, I wanted to feel the sun and sand and I only imagined how free it must feel. Freer than anything I could imagine. I knew I didn't have much time to explore it before I had to meet with my new Vice Principle but I had too just for a second feel the sand and touch it. Just for a moment. At this moment at this second it was my choice and I didn't have anyone pulling me away. Just for a second. But as life would have it as I started to walk near the beach I had not looked where I was going and tripped and fell onto the ground leaving my bag on the floor and my books spilling out. It would have been ok if Justina had not kicked the crap out of my stomach last night but the pain was mind bending._

 _"Ouch." I winched as I attempted to slowly get up when I felt someone grab my arm gently but almost involuntarily I moved it out the way._

 _"Hey love are you ok?" My chest was now hurting horribly and my ribs continued to cramp when I looked up to see a blonde haired cop staring down at me and now kneeling._

 _"Are you ok sweets? I saw you take a pretty bad fall. Come honey take my hand." She smiled wide at me but had a strange look of concern on her face. I didn't want to take her hand at all. I didn't and I was hoping she wouldn't try to grab my arm again. It was still in pain._

 _"Um..I'm ok. I...I can get up." I said as I slowly began to get up feeling every bit of pain in my body but trying so hard to conceal it from her._

 _"I don't know honey you look like you're hurting. Why don't I take you inside sweetheart?" She said still attempting to help me but I kept pulling my arm away from her which probably didn't go unnoticed by her._

 _"Honest...I'm umm I'm ok really. I can do it." I fully stood up now as she looked defeated at me but her face was still filled with worry as she picked up my books and placed them in my bag._

 _"Well your lip is bleeding you should really go to the nurse honey." She came closer to me and I backed away terrified which she must have noticed as the expression on her face changed to surprise as I almost fell again. The blonde grabbed me._

 _"Whoa sweetheart be careful. Love, I know we just met but why don't' you let me take you inside you.."_

 _"No!" I yelled accidentally cutting her off and fearing what she would do to me as I noticed the look of surprise again on her face and I suddenly couldn't breathe and I grabbed my bag from her and ran inside as fast as I could. So far my plan to be unnoticed was not turning out well._

* * *

 _As I quickly came out the bathroom and tried my best to clean the dirt off and the blood from my lips I searched for the office of Lena Adams. After my morning spill and the awkward altercation with that blonde cop I just wanted to get to class and fade away. I still had a few hours to myself and I wanted terribly to walk on that beach. But the pain my body was in was still making my eyes tear as each time I moved my arm and breathed it felt like my body was being ripped in two. After a secretary pointed me in the correct direction I approached a frosted color door that was half open with the words Lena Adams written across. I knew I had to fake it pretty bad in the next few moments but it was something I was use to doing. I had been faking it with adults and kids my own age for as long as I was alive. I needed people to believe I was ok, and not draw any attention to myself especially now. I knocked softly,_

 _"Come in." I heard a friendly voice say. I slowly opened the door and saw a curly haired woman sitting at her desk with a warm smile over her face. But as I walked in as my luck would have it I saw that blonde cop again and my stomach instantly felt turned upside down and a huge lump formed in my throat as the cop turned to look at me and a warm smile fell across her face too. She again must have noticed the fear and panic in my face and my body as I was breathing very heavy._

 _"You must be Callie." Lena said continuing to smile at me as she stood up and walked over to greet me and extended her arm out to shake my hand._

 _"I'm Lena Adams." I slowly shook it as it was soft and warm but I pulled away quickly and I looked to the cop again._

 _"Am I in trouble? I.." I swallowed hard and stuttered over my words._

 _"No no, of course not..this is my girlfriend Stef. She's nice enough to bring me some coffee." I looked to the cop again who again smiled widely at me but with a look of suspicion on her face probably from the way I had behaved outside just a few moments ago. I was pretty sure I had probably angered her._

 _"Hi again honey." Her voice was warm and gentle which I did not expect. I was expecting her to rip my head off the same as Justina would do._

 _"Again?" Lena questioned looking confused at both of us as my face turned flustered._

 _"Yes my love, Cal dropped a few books outside so I just helped her." She winked at me as she got up from her seat and stood closer to the brunette as I couldn't help but notice how she called me Cal. That was new for me._

 _"Anyway, let me leave you two and I hope you enjoy your day Callie." She smiled once again at me as I quickly looked at the floor feeling uncomfortable as I nodded my head._

 _"Lunch babe?" I heard her address Mrs. Adams._

 _"Yes 1:30 is good. And anything but salad." My Vice Principle wined._

 _"You got it babe."_

 _"Bye Cals." I looked up and Stef winked at me again as she called me Cals again. I nodded and she left the room leaving me and the curly haired woman alone._

 _"So Callie how about a tour of the school? We are so excited to have you here. Your foster mother speaks highly of you." She once again smiled at me as my stomach instantly filled with knots at the mention of Justina._


	3. The Nightmare

**Hi all thanks so much for your amazing reviews for this story! To answer a few questions in this story Callie is 15 and Stef and Lena are the same ages they are in the show which I assume is in their mid 40s. The chapters will go back and forth between present and past so hopefully it does not get confusing. If so please let me know! Thanks loves!-Stef1981**

Stef POV Present

As I watched my little girl splash in the waves of the warm San Diego beach I couldn't help but smile my widest smile at her as she appeared to be so happy. Most likely the happiest she had ever been in her life for I knew the past 15 years of it had been pure hell. I knew my baby enjoyed the beach more than anything and I loved taking her every single day as I had learned that it was her favorite place on earth to be. It was here that she was like a bird, or almost rather like a butterfly who had come out of their cocoon and I loved watching her blossom each and everyday more and more into that butterfly. It was also the one place that she would willfully open up about her past , and where she seemed to let out the most painful times of her life. Callie had cried many many nights on this beach in my arms for hours, and she had shed so many tears, 15 years worth, but now she not only shed tears but she had also smiled so many more smiles now. To Lena and I it was no secret how truly far she had come but it was also no secret as to how far and how much work she would still need and I was ready for that battle every single day for I wanted more then anything to be her mother.

When I first took Callie in a few months ago it had been very tough for she had so much baggage that it was nearly impossible for me to even fathom what kind of abuse and neglect she had gone through in her life. For starters she was completely and utterly terrified to speak to me and Lena, she barely looked at me only from time to time for she kept her head ducked down to the floor 95 percent of the time, she only responded to me if I asked her something and even then her responses were completely inaudible. If either Lena or I stood to close to her Callie would shake, she would tremble, she would flinch when I went to touch her hand gently, or shoulder. She never asked me for anything not even pads when I knew she was getting her period. I ended up just leaving them out for her on her bed and attached little reminder notes that they were hers and that it was ok. Even then I would find her obsessively trying to clean the apartment or make my bed as for whatever reason she thought she had too. I had to tell her numerous times she was not the maid, that she was welcome to eat anytime she wanted or take any food she would like out of the fridge, that she did not have to pick up after me, she did not have to cook dinner or pay her way. I was to take care of her, and it was ok for her to be a kid but I could see on her face that she didn't understand. She didn't understand that I loved doing things for her, that I loved taking her out to eat and going to the movies or anything else fun she wanted to do. She always assumed I wanted something in return or that their was a catch. I believe at times she still thinks this and every time I reassure her I do it because I want to.

As the first few weeks went by I soon learned many more things about my daughter. Callie was deathly afraid of the dark, she was extremely claustrophobic, she absolutely hated to sleep with her door closed, she completely disliked hot food, and she was horrified of hot showers. I found it somewhat difficult at first to pick up all of this on my own but as time went on I learned the reasons for each and every one. She was claustrophobic for she been locked in rooms so many times with no way of escaping by former foster parents, she disliked hot food because a few times hot oatmeal had been thrown at her and hot soup had been forced down her throat. She hated hot showers because she was thrown in boiling hot water as a kid in the bathtub. Each and every time she revealed more of her past the more my heart broke. The more my heart ached and the more I wanted to hold her close to me forever. On top of everything else I had for the first few weeks barely had gotten any sleep and had been walking around like a complete zombie. It wasn't because Callie misbehaved or snuck out at night or caused trouble it was because of the horrific nightmares she would have every single night which caused her to scream out in the middle of the night for dear life. Calming her down proved to be difficult if not challenging for in the beginning she would not let me near her, not even my hand could touch her for she would run and hide in the corner of the room or lock herself in the bathroom from fear that I would hurt her. Most nights I sat outside the bathroom trying to calmly reassure her that I wouldn't hurt her, that I loved her and cared for her, that she had nothing to be afraid of. On occasion it got so bad bad that I would call Lena to come over and help me calm her down and she too would sit outside the locked bathroom with me for hours trying to convince Callie neither of us would hurt her.

It had taken weeks if not months for Callie to slowly begin to trust me and there are still times to this day that she questions it for I see that panic and fear take over her body and I see it in her eyes the worry that she has said something wrong. But each and everyday I reassure her that I am not and never ever will be like any of those horrible former homes that hurt her, that betrayed her, that broke her soul and spirit. That robbed her of her childhood. I was the one person who would give it back to her, who would make her see how wonderful she was, how beautiful she was and how much she meant to me. I would tell her over and over for as long as I would need to that I would never betray her not one bit. Somedays I believed we had made progress, a ton of progress but then some days we would almost go five steps back until about three weeks ago when I had truly broke through to her even more as she woke up screaming with probably the worst nightmare she had ever had.

" _Dont hurt me please! I'm sorry please, please, please!" I heard my daughter screaming at the top of her lungs as I instantly flew out of my bed faster than I ever had. Her scream was so piercing and so gut wrenching that I thought someone was attacking her. But as I ran into her bedroom I found her rolling around and tossing and turning in her bed and forth._

" _Please don't hurt me I promise, please I'll be good! I'll be good!" She kept screaming as I finally made it to the side of her bed and grabbed her holding her in my arms tight as I felt her entire body was dripping with sweat._

" _Baby, baby it's ok it's ok. I'm here it's ok my love." I held her even tighter as I suddenly felt her pull away as I didn't think she realized it was me._

" _No, no please don't hurt me don't hurt me please. Please don't hurt me!" She ducked her head into her hands just as she had done months ago when she thought I would strike her._

" _Baby it's me, it's Stef, it's ok I won't let anyone hurt you ever. It's me honey. It's me babygirl." I said as she slowly lifted her head up realizing it was me._

" _It's me baby. It's Stef." I reassured her again letting out a soft smile as I gently touched her arm._

" _Mama?" She softly spoke as her eyes turned bigger as she looked straight into mine._

 _But at that moment no one could fathom how much she had touched my heart as I heard the word Mama come from her mouth. I didn't know if she was fully awake or if she had even realized she had called me that or if she had even realized it was me. Callie at that moment was so scared almost like a little girl, and so deathly afraid of whatever she had dreamt or whatever memory that nightmare had triggered that all I could do was just hold her as she fell into my chest and grabbed me holding on for dear life as I rubbed the side of her face._

" _Yes...my love it's mama it's ok I got you. I got you always." I kissed the top of her head as I felt her squeeze me even harder._

" _I was ...I was so scared. I thought..I thought I was back….Mama hold me. Hold me tighter please. Don't don't let them take me." She begged as she continued to cry in my arms._

" _I won't honey. Ever. No one will take you. No one. I will always protect you always."_

That night Callie didn't budge out of my arms. Not one single movement did she make as she stayed glued to me and as I rocked her back and forth in my arms. I wanted so badly to wipe the sweat off her and to get her into new pajamas but she just wouldn't let go of me for anything in the world and I knew the thick wall she had been keeping up had finally broken.

As I think about my last few months with Callie I already knew in my mind's eye and in my heart, deep deep inside my heart, that this little girl had truly become my life and she had become my little girl even at 15 and I had not one single regret about taking her into my home as she had made it feel like just that. Truth was I was no longer just a cop, I was no longer just Lena's girlfriend, but I had become someone's mother and I was responsible for another human being, I was to make sure she was happy, that she had what she needed, and that I was there for her no matter what, that I would protect her and give my own life to save hers. That's what a mother did and that was who I was now.

"She looks so happy love. Are you going to ask her?" I heard Lena say as I had come out of my thoughts feeling her grab my hand and smile at me as we had talked about it for a few weeks and she knew I wanted to adopt Callie. I had my doubts in the beginning if I would be any good at it but I knew I wouldn't be able to live without this little girl in my life. Seeing her every morning put the biggest smile on my face.

"You think she's ready for it... I mean for me to ask her. I just don't want to pressure her or scare her off?" I said looking over to my daughter who was staring back at me to make sure I was still there like she did every night.

"I'm still here baby looking at you!" I yelled and waved at her as did Lena. Callie smiled at me and turned back to look at the water.

"I think she's more than ready honey and I honestly don't think you are pressuring her. Just ask her if it's something she would like. But in my eyes and I am sure in Callie's eyes if anyone is her mother you are." Lena squeezed my hand as I looked into her brown soft eyes as she had been supportive from day one with Callie.

"This is why I love you baby. THis is why and for so many other reasons." I said leaning in to kiss her as she gently kissed me back.

"I love you too Stefanie Foster." I touched her face softly and moved a curl back and tucked it around her ear.

" Love I still want to marry you but…" I trailed off and turned to look at Callie again.

" Baby, I'm not going anywhere. I think you are doing the right thing and you know I'm here. We will get married once Callie gets a little more settled. It's fine honey. You know I want to be and continue to be apart of your life with her. I know how important she is to you and I very much know how important you are to her."

"You are important to me as well my love. The both of you and I want us to be a family. More than anything."

"We already are honey. I am patient." Lena placed her hand on my face and rubbed it.

"Now go get your daughter. She's waiting for you honey." Lena kissed my lips softly again as I kissed hers back. Pulling away gently I smiled at her as she gave me her encouraging look as I slowly got up off the sand and walked slowly over to my little girl who was completely taken in by the sun. I was hoping more then anything that she would want to be apart of my life forever.


	4. Two Lives

**Just a reminder past chapters will be in italics and present chapters will be in regular text. Enjoy! -Stef1981**

 _STEV POV_

" _Hey babe." I said entering Lena's bedroom and walking over to kiss her lips softly as I had just ended my exhausting shift three hours later then expected._

" _Hi my love. I wasn't sure if you were still sleeping over." She said kissing me back softly as she sat up in the bed with one of her magazines I presumed._

" _Yes..sorry love I got held up at work. Convenience store robbery." I placed my gun belt on her dresser and slowly undressed throwing a t-shirt on and hanging my uniform in her closet. Lena and I had been together for a year when I met her at the local coffee shop outside the precinct._

" _Goodnes...you can leave that part out." I heard the hint of worry in her voice as I had almost forgotten to leave out those details of my job._

" _Yes love I apologize." I slowly got into her bed and layed my back and head on the soft pillow and looked over to her and let out a small smile._

" _Forgiven." She smiled looking back at me and returned to look at whatever was on her lap as I couldn't help but notice Callie's name and a thick stack of papers._

" _Wow, thats one big file." I sat up a little and leaned my back on the headboard._

" _Stef, this girl has been placed in so many schools and so many homes I just can't believe it. I'm sure half her records have been lost, and I can already see she's behind."_

" _She's a foster kid?" I said surprised._

" _Yes. Abused as well."_

" _Mm that explains it." I placed my reading glasses on as I peeked over Lena's shoulder to scan her file._

" _Explains what honey?"_

" _Our altercation outside this morning. True she did drop her books and she took a nasty fall but when I went to help her she literally looked almost terrified of me. Almost like she was protecting herself as if I would hurt her or something. I freaked her out so much she ran away from me." I looked to her concerned remembering the young girl's horrified face and busted lip from her fall._

" _Goodness. No wonder when she came in the office she looked at you the way she did. Poor thing. She must have been through so much." Lena sighed as her voice was filled with concern and worry as she continued to look at each and every page of Callie's records._

" _You wonder the people they give these foster care licenses too and how that's even possible.I just don't get it." She said._

" _I know babe but I see it everyday. Some of these parents literally beat the shit out of these kids and their own. Its unfortunate."_

" _Fortunately Callie's in a good home now with a woman that runs a division at Social Services. She helped Callie get out of an abusive home and took her in a few months ago."_

" _Thats a relief." I wrapped my arms around Lena as she put her files down and snuggled into me._

" _Honey do you ever regret...do you ever regret not having children?" She asked as I looked in front of me._

" _Mmm no. I never really..well I just never thought much about it. Soon as I graduated high school I entered the academy and just lived and breathed my work. I guess there were a few times I thought about it but after my miscarriages and failed marriage I just never wanted to deal with that again. I guess I wasn't meant to have babies." I said trying to convince Lena and myself that what I said was true._

" _I know it was painful for you honey but it's not top late if you wanted to try again or..."_

" _I'm ok honey. Honest. I'd be fine If I never had children. It's just more work and a whole bunch of bla bla blah that comes along with it. I don't want to run after a one year old when I chase criminals all day." I joked._

" _I guess." I heard sadness come from her voice._

" _Hey my love what's up? Did I say something?" I said looking down at her as she looked up to me._

" _I don't know honey. From time to time I think about us having a baby together."_

" _You do? Why didn't you mention it before?" I said confused._

" _Babe I knew about what happened with you and I just didn't want to bring it up. I mean from time to time I think about it, it's not like a constant thought but to be honest I'm completely happy with how our life is now. We can come and go when we please, we can go out late, we have a ton of freedom and we enjoy each others company. Plus at our ages it's just more complicated to get pregnant and I didn't want that hassle for either of us._

" _Lena?" I continued to stroke the side of her face as she snuggled into me again._

" _Yes."_

" _I mean please be honest would you like a child with me? I don't want to ever deny you of your dreams or what you want from life baby. I have dealt with my past and issues honey...if."_

" _I know baby. It's just a thought at times not constant as I said. For right now I am enjoying my life alone with you and I will enjoy it even more when we get married. I enjoy the peace and calmness of it._

" _Are you sure my love?" I looked down at her again as she looked up at._

" _I am sure babe. I am." She smiled._

" _Well..if anything changes.."_

" _Of course honey. If anything changes I will let you know. Promise."_

" _Ok baby. Goodnight my love." I softly kissed her head as I held her tight in my arms and as I felt her hold me tighter._

" _Goodnight my love. I love you." She said._

" _I Love you too baby."_

* * *

 _CALLIE POV_

 _All I wanted to do more then anything was to go to bed as I really didn't want to spend another minute listening to Justina go on a tangent about how useless I was and contributed nothing to the world or society. My head was pounding and the fall I took earlier outside the school was hurting my lower back and ribs. The bed no matter how uncomfortable it was, was all I wanted more then anything but I knew sleep was still a few hours off._

" _So I hope you made a good impression on your first day to Mrs. Adams. I don't want any phone calls about you failing or causing trouble. Is that understood?"_

 _I looked up at her as she took a small bite of her steak. I hated steak in fact I hated every single meal she cooked. Even the smell of it made me sick as I chewed slowly on the rare piece she had given me as I found it hard to chew as the punch she gave me earlier had loosened my tooth in the back and each time I chewed it would wiggle._

" _I did ma'am." I said switching the meat to the other side of my mouth._

" _Good. Just keep it up. Make any friends?"_

 _I looked up at her again wondering if this was a trick question. She liked to tease me sometimes with questions like this. She knew I wasn't any good at making friends and I was unsure how to respond._

" _Oh wait what am I asking of course you didn't you little social misfit. You better start talking to people little dummy." She smirked again at me shaking her head as I swallowed the giant chunk of meat that I could no longer chew as my jaw was now killing me._

" _You better eat all of that too or I'll shove it down your throat. That cost money and I don't have to spend a dime on you. Infact I don't even need to feed you. You know that right?"_

 _I looked up at her softly as I was hoping to god it would not be another one of those nights where she beat me for hours on end in which she showed no mercy. She had already beat me when we first got home over the dirt she saw on my clothes that I so desperately had tried to clean off with not much luck._

" _Yes ma'am." I voiced softly._

" _Good I'm glad we understand each other. Keep it that way." My eyes lowered to see her gently cut another piece of her steak and slowly place it in her mouth again as I felt another sharp pain go through my stomach and my jaw. My mind faded out as I stared at my own food forcing it down my throat. I thought of that beach that I still had not been able to go to. My lunch hour got eaten up by the tour Ms. Adams gave me but for some reason I had not minded since she was so nice but unfortunately I didn't trust her. She could probably turn on me at any moment the same for her cop girlfriend she had who had called me Cals. But I couldn't help but wonder if they had kids and what kind of parents they were. If they beat their kids or if they hugged them and kissed them the way I had wished someone would to do to me. I wondered if they always spoke so softly or always used such affectionate terms when talking and I wondered if they thought I was weird or just odd as most people said I was. I wondered if..my thoughts got interrupted by a blow to the back of my head as I fell off the chair and onto the floor as Justina stood over me._

" _How dare you ignore me! How dare you!" She screamed as I slowly tried to get up and crawl away from her but my head was in so much pain and I felt the back of it and saw blood on my fingers as the room continued to spin around me._

" _Get up!" I felt her kick my stomach the same as she had done the night before as I stood on my knees but fell again to the floor. I knew once she was angry, once she got started it wouldn't end. I knew it no matter what and no matter how hard I tried one way or another I always angered her._

" _I'm sorry…..I'm sorry Justina I…" I grabbed my stomach as she kicked my back. "Please...I'm sorry."_

" _Get up!" She yelled again. "Get up now!"_

 _I tried hard to get up but each time I got to my knees she kicked me down again and again as she repeatedly kicked my stomach and my back to the point where I could no longer even try to get to my knees._

" _Fine you don't want to get up huh? You don't want to then I'll drag you. Ill drag you to where you belong!" she said as my weak body tried so hard to move but I felt her grab me by hair and drag me along the floor. I was already in so much pain I was numb as my body could no longer feel it as tears streamed down my face._

" _I don't know how many more times I have to show you! Or tell you! You do this, you just continue to make do this and make me so angry!"_

" _I'm sorry...I'm sorry please." I felt her yank my hair even harder as she grabbed me and pushed me into the closet locking the door behind me_

" _Please don't leave me in here. Please I'm sorry please!"_

" _You hush up before I keep you in their all night! You haven't learned Callie. You still haven't. You don't ever ignore your mother. Never! You stay in their until you have learned your lesson!"'_

" _Please Justina.,,please.." but the pain was too much as I slide down on the tiny floor in front of me feeling the panic take over as I was locked in the dark small closet for the second row in a night for Justina knew I was scared. That I was terrified of being locked in rooms and of small places and of the dark. That was why she did it for she had seen my file, she had counsuled me in the beginning and she used it all against me. She was mean hearted, she was cruel and...and my mind went blank as I continued to feel dizzy and nauseous from hitting the back of my head on the wood floor. I pressed my knees against my chest as the warm tears fell down my face. I didn't want to die, I didn't want too...and I thought of I thought of the beach at school, the sand, the warm water. I needed to make it to tomorrow. I needed to as my eyes felt heavy and I closed them to no longer feel the pain I was in...the beach...I just needed to make it._


	5. Who Did This To You?

_**Enjoy!**_

 _CALLIE POV_

 _Walking to school this morning proved not only to be painful but tremendously slow as I tried to mask the extreme and intense amount of pain my body was in as it radiated throughout my ribs, my stomach and my back. Locking me in the closet last night and the punch to my face had just been the beginning of Justinas rage as at 2 AM she suddenly forced me to clean the house from top to bottom as watching over every single thing I did. She said she wanted to get rid of my stink and the order I left in the house. I wasn't sure what she meant for I dared not to question her. Cleaning was more painful then anything for it forced me to move my arms which were in pain, my shoulders, my legs and my head which was still throbbing from hitting the floor. Each time I kneeled to wipe each and every section of the floor, and made any kind of regular movements I would wince in pain and then she would scream. She would scream louder and louder and stepped on my hand more then one. I was lucky she didn't break it. Finally after almost four hours of cleaning and when the clock struck 6 AM she was satisfied and got dressed for work in a somewhat scary and happy mood. That mood alone frightened me to no end for she was even more unpredictable. Knowing i was in pain she left me to walk to the 30 minutes to school to finish out my punishment. I was actually grateful she didn't drive me to school for it meant I got to spend a longer amount of time away from her control and from her strong grip on me. I thought about hiding in the school all night or just leaving to anywhere but here, I did but I somehow felt she would find me. And if she did there was no telling what she would do. I was just too scared._

 _I felt my puffy jaw on the right side of my face the punch she had given me most certainly had left a bruise and I was hoping the makeup I was using would continue to cover it but I would certainly need to check it throughout the day. Before she left Justina had warned me that if anyone asked about my bruises to tell them my boyfriend down the street named Oliver did it. Of course it was a lie for I had no boyfriend but she gave me an entire story to tell. That he went to Jefferson, she gave me the name of his parents, his birthday and anything else in case anyone got suspicious. I learned she was a pro at lying and unfortunately so was I._

 _As I finally made it to school and neared the entrance I had to take a break for that walk tired me out more then I had anticipated. I quickly opened my bag to pop a pain reliever when I glanced over to the parking lot to see Mrs. Adams and her girlfriend Stef walking toward me._

 _"Shit shit shit." I said to myself. "Not now. Not today." I was hoping to god they had not seen me for I knew the cop was already suspicious of me and she probably had said something to Mrs. Adams about my strange behavior just yesterday. I looked around trying to figure out where to go and decided to turn around and use the side entrance. I walked and limped as fast as humanly possible given my condition to avoid these two and within a few minutes I had blended in with the crowd and I quickly had made it inside. By this time my breathing was heavy but slowing down as I pretty much thought I had dodged them but as I kept looking behind me I neglected to look in front of me I slammed right into Stef. Again._

 _"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry!" I said apologetically but avoiding her face as I looked down to the floor. I didn't want her to see my face. I didn't want her to at all and I was hoping the makeup and my hair was hiding it. But how the hell was I going to get out of this?_

 _"It's ok honey we just seem to always meet like this." I heard her say jokingly as I tried to run from her again and still not lifting my head up. But running away proved to be much more difficult this time as she had blocked me._

 _"Hey wait my love, wait, wait…" she placed her hand on my arm and I again pulled away._

 _"Love what...lift your head up honey." I didn't move. I didn't move at all for if she saw my face it was over._

 _"I'm fine...I just fell. I'm fine please let me go." But she wouldn't let me go and I was freaking out. I was freaking out even more when I felt her hand touch my face. I was so scared. I was so terrified but... she did not pull it. She did not grab it. She was soft and gentle but I remembered Justina had been nice in the beginning too. But somehow Stef felt more sincere, she felt more graceful, she felt more concerned and honest. But I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to and I was never trusting another adult in my life. Never again. As she gently moved my face up I knew she would see everything written on it as my eyes met hers and she let out a gasp._

 _"Baby, what happened to you? What...what happened to your face sweetheart." her eyes were big and her face became worried. It wasn't something I understood._

 _"Nothing! Nothing...i just had…" the boyfriend line Justina had told me was slipping my mind. I couldn't remember it, I couldn't remember his name or anything of that nature. That story faded and only the truth was floating around in my head. The way Stef looked at me wasn't helping and I just wanted to run from her. I wanted to run so badly but she was not giving up not in the least as she continued to hold me._

 _"Love, I wasn't born yesterday and I'm a cop. What happened to you honey?" Her continued to remain stern but it was concerned. She was hard to read. I remained silent as I was terrified. If I told on Justina she would kill me._

 _"Honey, come with me. This I can not ignore my love."_

 _"No I can't! I told you I just fell please just leave me alone I am fine. Please." I begged looking into her eyes._

 _"Callie, love, you're not fine. Now someone did this to you." she said grabbing my arms gently and I pulled away from her harder but she pulled back._

 _"Ouch!" I let out accidentally as she looked at my arms._

 _"It's more than your face isn't it? Take your jacket off honey."_

 _"No, No! I told you to please leave me alone. Please.I am fine. Honest! Just let me go." Tears were streaming down my face and she would not let up._

 _"Callie, I am not a mean person and I would never hurt you, I would never hurt a fly but I can clearly see something is wrong and someone is hurting you baby." I didn't want to look in her eyes any longer but they kept going back to her face for some reason. I wanted to tell her for some reason but I wasn't going to. She couldn't help me, and the person I thought was trying to help me had betrayed me. I couldn't make that mistake again and I couldn't say a word. I couldn't._

 _"Sweets, who is hurting you? Who is it honey?" she held my arms in a different place for she realized the other area had caused pain._

 _"It's no one! It's no one I fell. I keep telling you." I heard her sigh and I knew she was losing patience with me. Any moment now even though we were in school I knew she could hit me. She could strike me if she wanted._

 _"Love come with me." she grabbed my hand but I pulled away so hard that she almost fell back as I tried to run but forgot about the pain I was in and winced again as I held my stomach._

 _"Callie!" I felt her grab me softly again and I tried once again to pull away but the pain had taken over._

 _"I'm not arguing with you not another second. Let's go."_

* * *

 _STEF POV_

 _As Callie sat on the couch in Lena's office facing the both of us with her head down we waited patiently for her to speak. It was only her second day here and I knew from the minute I bumped into her yesterday that something was off with her. Yes, I had believed she was in a good home based on what Lena told me last night with this Justina woman but I was having very strong doubts right now. I knew many people in high positions who had abused their children and just because she was a social worker or in charge of a company that helped children in need didn't make a difference at all. People lied and they lied often for one reason or another and I knew Callie was lying. As I looked to my girlfriend I could see she had the same doubts as well as her face was filled with worry, fear and sadness. Lena was good with children and had a way of making them feel comfortable, accepted and cared for so I was hoping she could get through to this frightened girl for I had no luck. I was thinking maybe my cop uniform was making it worse or throwing her off even more but I had a feeling it was way more then that as I remember a few things from reading her file along with Lena. This girl had some history. Unfortunately, I knew I had scared her in the hallway but I had no choice to be a little more forceful with her for it was clear as the light of day that she was in trouble and she was terribly afraid to tell us who was beating her. I had seen it many times at work day after day and I knew it would take more than one time to get her to talk if at all for I knew she was protecting whoever did this to her from pure fear._

 _"Callie it's important for you to know that you aren't in any trouble honey. None at all. We just want to make sure you are ok." Lena spoke softly as I kept my eyes on the young girl. Her face was completely bruised near her right jaw as I saw she tried to cover it with makeup. We still had not gotten her down to the nurse or had gotten her to take her jacket off but I knew she had some bruises on her arms as well and most likely from the way she was walking she had bruises on her legs, her stomach and probably her back. It was no secret to either of us that Callie was probably in more pain then she let on and throughout her entire body. That thought alone angered me for whoever was doing this to her I'd find out and make there life a living hell._

 _As Lena spoke as gently as possible to Callie she remained with her eyes to the floor as I saw tears continue to stream down her cheeks and she wiped them as I leaned forward in my chair to pass her a tissue that she took softly out of my hands._

 _"Callie love? I began. "Baby you aren't in any trouble. As Lena said we need to make sure you are ok and that whoever hurt you won't do it again. But you need to tell us. You need to tell us who did this to you?" As the moments went by and the seconds ticked away Callie had still not responded to either of us as I turned my head to look at Lena who looked more and more worried._

 _"Callie, we know you are afraid. And we understand that you are but we just want to help you and the only way we can do that is if you tell us who did this." Lena said._

 _"My….my boyfriend. My boyfriend down the street." The teen stuttered._

 _A boyfriend? Mmm I didn't believe this one. She was definitely lying as it was written all over her face._

 _"Ok, ok...that's progress. And what's your boyfriend's name? Does he go to this school honey?" Lena asked._

 _"No." Callie shook her head as she still avoided any eye contact with either of us._

 _"Ok what school does she go to honey?"_

 _"Jefferson." she said responding to my girlfriend as I sat observing each answer she gave as more lies continued to spill out of her mouth._

 _"Love, you told me you fell." I chimed in as Lena looked to me and I finally caught Callie's eyes but she remained quiet as fear took over her._

 _"I…" she began. "I was scared." she looked down breaking eye contact. I had a feeling she knew that I did not believe her._

 _I nodded my head._

 _"That's understandable." Lena said softly._

 _"Well, Callie since I'm a cop you know you can press charges love. Just give me his name and address and I can pick up the little...I can pick him up right now. We can file an order of protection if needed."_

 _"Stef...one step at a time honey." Lena whispered to me and touching my thigh. She knew I sometimes had a way of interrogating in the wrong manner and jumping the gun. Yes I was a little straight forward and harsh at times but this was serious and we had very little time if any to play around._

 _"Honey, does your foster mom know?."_

 _It was then Callie's body language had changed. She became even more stiff, and her face turned white. Completely white and that hinted something to me more then anything as the red flags went up more then ever._

 _"She...she knows and she helped me break up with him but I...I wanted to go to school. You don't have too call her Ma'am. She is busy at work and stuff."_

 _"She sent you to school like this?" I chimed in again clearly annoyed. What kind of person sends there kid to school in this kind of pain. Maybe the kind that doesn't give a shit or that did this._

 _"Honey." Lena reprimanded me yet again but I was growing antsy as this whole story didn't add up with me at all and Lena's slow questioning was driving me insane._

 _"Well I'm glad she knows and I'm happy to know that you got out of that relationship but I think you are in too much pain to be in school. You need a doctor." Lena gently spoke._

 _"I'm I'm fine Mrs. Adams." She lied yet again._

 _"My love, you don't look fine to me. You need a doctor. You need a doctor now." I said sternly as she looked to me once again with the same panic and fear she had before._

 _"Honey, Stef is right. I will call your foster mom and have her come pick you up. I am sure wants to make sure you're ok too. I need to do that honey. You may have broken bones and things? Ok?"_

 _But again Callie's body stiffened as Lena mentioned her foster mother again and I was wondering if my girlfriend had noticed her reaction as well._

 _"Yes." the teen voiced softly and the tears continued to roll down her face as I passed her another tissue._

 _"It will be ok baby." I smiled as I got up and followed Lena to her desk._

 _"Love can I talk to you outside? "I said forcefully._

 _"Now?" She said looking confused at me._

 _"Yes. Now." My response was stern and direct for I had a very bad feeling about Callie's foster mother as I did not believe this boyfriend story shit one bit and I was only hoping Lena had picked up on the cues as well._


	6. The Lie

**Hi all! I did a little a mild update to this story if you read it yesterday. I neglected to add a few things in Lena's POV when she was speaking to Callie about who was possibly abusing her. I want to make sure it looks like her and Stef are doing all that is possible to help Callie and I wasn't sure if that came across.**

 **I want to thank you for all your reviews with this story as it has been really amazing to write and has been flowing out of my hands!**

 _STEF POV_

" _Stef?"Lena questioned as she closed the office door quietly behind her and we stood in the empty halls of Anchor Beach Charter School. I turned around to face her and tried hard to hide my aggravation._

" _Please tell me you don't believe that story about the boyfriend?" I barked as it came out harsher then I had expected it to._

 _"Honey I'm not saying I do honey but…"_

 _"But? There needs to be a be but?_ _Lena come on there's no boyfriend and that whole entire story is a lie. It's written all over her face." I said pacing back and forth and pointing in the direction of Lena's office toward the direction of Callie._

" _Stef, calm down and please lower your voice. That little girl is frightened enough as it is and we don't need to add anything to it." She pleaded as she looked behind her._

" _Fine. My voice is down. Ok? But I know she's lying and she's protecting whoever did this to her because she's scared shit less. Shit less of that so called wonderful foster mother she has." I rolled my eyes heavily._

" _Honey, look I know you see this at work and I have seen it many times myself kids coming in and of my office who hide abuse but before I can accuse her foster mother of anything I have to find out all the facts. I can't just barge into her home and accuse her even if all directions point to her. I can't do that honey. There's a procedure I need to follow." she gently placed her hands on my arm as I could feel the anger increase inside of me and my blood begin to boil even more at her response. I got it, I knew damn well she needed to follow procedure but what if Callie didn't have that kind of time. What if she couldn't wait and her time was running out? What then? What if her foster mother was really the one who was beating the crap out of her every night. If that was the case I've never seen it end well. Not once and I couldn't bare for it to happen to Callie._

" _Ok, well I can barge in at any time. Give me her address!" I said forcefully as my voice once again came out louder then expected._

" _Stef I told you to please lower your voice, and you have to calm down."_

 _"Lena how can I be calm? Tell me please. I mean have you seen her face? Have you? And lord only knows what else she is hiding since she refuses to take her jacket off and be examined by the nurse or us. She's limping for one and holding her stomach and god knows what else." I could feel tears begin to form in my eyes as the frustration I was feeling was reaching a whole new level but I was even more frustrated at Lena the more she spoke as she wasn't giving me the answers I wanted._

 _"Stef do you think I don't see that? Do you think I don't care or won't try to help her? Is that what you think?" I could hear the defensive tone in her voice as I knew I had come off rather harsh to her._

 _"No, I'm not saying that ...look..I just..I don't want anything else to happen to that girl." I spoke gently and placed my hand in hers._

 _"I know sweetheart and I know it's because you care so much. I know you do and I care as well and I don't want anything else to happen to her either. But you have to trust that I will handle this and I will get down to the bottom of it and find out who is honestly hurting her. I will my love." she placed her hand on my face and rubbed the side of it as her brown eyes continued to look concerned and worried._

" _Yes..I know love but ...if their is a boyfriend I want a name, a last name, I want an address I want it all." I demanded_

" _Stef did you not here me? Did you not just here what I told you honey? I know your use to taking charge and taking over. I know that about you very well. But you have to trust and believe that I handle these things all the time too just like you. Honest love. And Callie is very fragile, extremely, and I have to take it a little slow with her and it wont help if I have you in there angry and ready to kill people." she joked_

" _Yeah I know," I again sighed heavy to myself as I looked at the floor._

 _" But babe did you see how she stiffened when you mentioned the foster mother. Did you?"._

" _Yes Stef I saw it. And you know was well as I do that Callie is not going to just admit it in 1, 2 3 that she did it. She won't. If her foster mother is abusing her she has a hold on her. You and I both know that."_

 _"Or the pretend boyfriend." I said sarcastically._

" _Yes or the pretend boyfriend."_

" _Look love, I have to go make some calls. Go to work and I will let you know what happens. I promise ok? I think Callie is feeling a little intimated by having both of us in there._

" _Yes I know I was afraid I scared her off yesterday and today.….It's just.."_ I placed my hand over my forehead.

" _Its just I know you care. I know baby and that's why I love you Stef. It is. You care so much and I'm sure that little girl can see it too." she smiled as I looked into her eyes feeling completely defeated and useless._

" _Lena someone is beating the crap out of her and I can't just sit here and just let it happen." I said shaking my head._

" _I know honey. I know and we will find out who it is. We will baby. You and I will help her."_

* * *

 _LENA POV_

 _As I walked back into my office and calmed my angry and very protective wife down who headed off to work I walked in to see Callie sitting in the same spot as we had left her with her head down looking at the floor. It was a difficult situation as Callie had a history of abuse, she was a new student with not one friend, no one knew her and I just wasn't sure of the boyfriend story myself. It most cases that I have seen especially when it's a parent or foster parent beating a child it can take weeks, months or never for them to admit that they are the ones beating them. What usually comes first are the outrageous stories of how they fell over and over on strange objects in the house and the parents would claim how clumsy the kids were. That I had heard more then I could remember or count. They usually also sympathized with there abuser and would feel a sense of guilt for telling on them. Or feel as if it was there fault that they were to blame for the abuse, that they had deserved it or done something wrong. I could definitely see that in Callie without her even saying much to me. That's what Stef had seen as well._

 _Walking slowly next to the young and frightened teen I chose to sit a little farther away from her as I knew if I sat too close it would startle her. Looking closer at her face I saw once again how banged up and bruised it was and the maternal part of me just wanted to kiss her pain away as her bruise was turning purple and red and her makeup she had applied to it had worn off as it almost looked swollen. I was wondering how the poor girl was even chewing. As we sat in silence for another few moments as I thought of how to approach her in a non threatening way she still had not looked at me but I could feel her eyes wanting too as she shook her legs up and down and wrapped her arms around her stomach almost protecting herself._

" _Callie," I began slowly. "Are you sure their isn't anything you want to tell me before I call your foster mother?" I said as I noticed her legs stop shacking up and down but I saw her tighten her hold on herself._

" _No." she whispered as I had to strain my ears to hear her._

" _Are you sure honey?...Did.. Did she do this to you?" I swallowed hard as her eyes remained focused on the ground even longer then before as I could feel her contemplating an answer as her legs once again started to shake and tremble. Oh my heart, my heart was telling me she was screaming so badly for help as Stef had said. She was screaming with her mouth closed and with her eyes which is why she was so scared to look into mine._

" _Callie, it's ok to tell me. Is she the one hurting you?"I questioned again leaning a little closer to her as I instantly noticed her body language stiffen up once again just as Stef and I had seen earlier at the mention of Justina. It could have been one of two things considering Callie was abused in the majority of her homes which made this particularly difficult._

" _No. Ms. Adams. No. I told you it was my boyfriend. It was. Please...I'm just...I'm just tired." She looked to me very quickly but immediately looked down to the floor again._

 _I sighed heavily as my gut had a different feeling then the answer she gave me. Sure she could very well have a boyfriend but I highly doubted it at this present moment._

 _"Ok well, then tell me about this boyfriend. You said he goes to Jefferson honey?"_

 _Again she only knodded and still avoided my eyes once again as a few more moments went by._

 _"Sweetheart, my partner was right, you can press charges to prevent ..._

 _"No!" she screamed as a look of surprise filled my face and I could tell she regretted her outburst instantly judging by the look of panic on her face._

 _"I'm...I'm..sorry Ms. Adams I didn't mean too yell.. I didn't.." Callie placed her head between her knees as the panic seemed to increase in her body._

 _"Honey, it's ok." As much as I wanted to comfort her and hug her I knew I wouldn't be able to in a physical way so my words had to be even more gently and soothing then ever._

 _"Callie, I know it's an upsetting situation. I completely understand and I want you to know that I am here for you and that you aren't alone in this. Please know that you can always, always come to me anytime. Ok?" I leaned my head down a little trying to catch here eyes as she lifted her head out of her arms a little but once again she failed to look at me._

" _I'm fine Ms. Adams. I am. You have to believe me." She begged._

 _I nodded my head in response and took a deep breathe. I knew this was going to get ugly and even uglier as I had to follow my gut and suspicions which were the same as Stef's that Justina Marks the same women that had sat in here yesterday gloating about her foster daughter, and telling me how much she cared about the young girl and saved her from an abusive home, was the same woman who was going home at night and possibly beating the young girl senseless. This was never easy and this case would be no different._

* * *

 _CALLIE POV_

" _Justina I didn't tell...I swear." I begged as we walked out the front entrance of the school after the meeting with Ms. Adams. I had hoped I concealed the truth, that was all I could hope as Justina and I had sat there in her office and she had held my hand a little to tight._

" _Oh I'm sure you didn't. It's fine honey. We will get you checked out indeed." she said as her voice was unusually calm and that scared me more then anything as affectionate words continued to spill out of her mouth that I knew she didn't mean. What it meant was that she was angry. It meant she was really really angry and I didn't know how to read her, I didn't and it was giving me chills more than anything._

" _We...we are? You aren't angry?" I questioned trying to catch up to her as my body still radiated in pain. It was then she stopped to look dead at me and her face turned to anger._

" _Callie, of course I'm not angry. I'm not angry at all at the fact that I had to leave my work, and drive all the way here to amuse your stupid Vice Principal and pretend that I actually give a shit about you, and to try to convince her that I would never lay a hand on you. Of course I am not mad. Why should I be? After all I'm being accused of child abuse. So how should I feel Callie? I'm the one being accused and they are going to send social workers to check up on you and me when I run that damm company. Do you know how bad that is going to make me look?"_

" _But….I told them it was Oliver...I." she walked closer to me and I dared not to moved back._

" _You just better hope they believe you. You better hope. And when that social worker comes you better look happier then you ever have because if she thinks I'm abusing you so help you god I will break you and bury you alive and no one would miss you. No on at all!" she looked at me hard and cold as my eyes grew wider as she then walked away in a fury._

 _I could only respond by swallowing the giant lump in my throat as she smiled that fake smile at me and my legs felt like cement. Like pure cement as I thought of how I should have shut my mouth and how I should have been more believable about the fake boyfriend. I had tried I had tried so hard but I found it so hard to lie to Stef and Ms. Adams. The way they looked at me made it hard, the way they spoke to me made it hard. I wanted to tell them. I wanted to tell Stef._

" _Callie let's go!" I heard Justina yell as I came out of my thoughts again and I slowly climbed into the BMW._

" _Hurry up!" She yelled as I tried my hardest to climb in faster but the pain my body was still in was killing me._

" _Aww what's the matter poor girl. In pain? Serves you right." She shook her head and slowly turned on the car pulling out of the school lot._

 _I was afraid and I was feeling more afraid that we had left the school for I didn't know what she was going to do to me. I didn't know if I would wake up in the morning, I didn't know if I would see another day, I didn't know how bad she would hurt me or how she would hurt me. I was more scared then I ever have been in life. More then anything I wished I had wings and could fly away, I wish I was in the water and could swim away, I wished for anyone for someone to truly save me. For them to love me and for them to mean it. Not for them to betray me, not for them to hurt me, not for them to...to laugh at me. I was looking for someone, just anyone who would care. As I looked out the window of the car wondering if it was the last time I'd see the sun, and the palm trees I felt my eyes begin to water and more pain shoot through my body. I was wondering if it was even worth it to take any pills, if it would stop death if that was what Justina was planning on doing to me, but I knew it wouldn't stop it one bit. Nothing would. Deciding to take one just in case she let me live I opened my bag up slowly but saw a note tucked inside that looked unfamiliar to me. I knew it wasn't there in the morning when I packed my back so curiously I tried to open it inside the bag as to conceal it from Justina. But what I saw surprised me more then anything as I had not expected it. Written on the note was the name, Stefanie Foster, and under it was a home and cell number along with Lena's cell and house number. Under it Stef had written, "Cal, please call me anytime. If you need help I will come right away. Memorize these numbers love and know that we care." Moving my head to see if Justina had noticed and realizing she was talking loudly on her cell I quickly shoved it in my history book and made a mental note to take it out later to memorize the numbers. I didn't know why Stef had done that or why she had cared so much but I was so terrified to trust it._


	7. Complications

**Hi all! Once again thank you thank you for your reviews! I have written much more but haven't edited the chapters yet but I wanted to give you all a chapter today. Now before things can get better for Callie they will get a little worse, and you know how the Mama's are. :) Just keep believing in them as it will take time for Callie. Lena has a very challenging person to deal with in this chapter.**

 **Also this story was only supposed to be like a few chapters, maybe 3 at most. But I think it will end up being much much!**

 **Enjoy loves! Stef1981**

 _It had been no more than two days since the afternoon both Lena and Stef discovered that 15 year old Callie Jacobs was being abused, but by who exactly remained a mystery for no one could be 100 percent sure even if all red flags according to both women pointed to the teens foster mother. After the long talk two days prior in the curly haired brunettes office with Justina Marks, and Principle Monte Porter along with young Callie Jacobs the event continued to replay over and over in the curly haired woman's head as she recalled how Ms. Marks had sneakily tried to convince her and Monte that she had absolutely no idea of Callie's violent relationship with her boyfriend until bruises began to appear on the young girls face and her behavior had started to changed drastically. The woman also made it perfectly clear that she had every intention of pressing charges against the teens abusive boyfriend Oliver Lee and would take all the necessary steps and precautions to make sure her daughter remained safe and that the young boy would clearly stay away from her daughter._

 _As the meeting continued and questions were soon directed to Callie where she was unfortunately asked to address the abuse that she had encountered with Oliver, Lena couldn't help but notice how once again the girls body language had continued to speak volumes as the teen remained still, and almost frozen and statue like as her foster mother held her hand as she could see somewhat rather tightly. The brunette found it truly difficult to hear and even more difficult to see the teen having to recall the relationship and how it all began but she found it even more disturbing that the story just didn't seem right to her. The more Callie spoke and elaborated the more the story sounded,..well it sounded rehearsed, it sounded unrealistic and it sounded well..it sounded like a lie. Even as Lena sat there and witnessed the tears streaming down the teens face, and as she saw the heartache and the pain that Callie was so clearly filled with she just had a strong feeling and inclination that those tears she was shedding had not one thing do to do with that story. It in fact had to do with the truth and she so badly wanted to know what it was as she wasn't even so sure if Callie knew what it was anymore._

 _The teen herself had tried to block everything out and was primarily focused on answering each question correctly for she knew that her foster mother was listening to every single word and syllable that came out of her mouth. Deep inside Callie couldn't help but feel horrible for lying especially to Ms Adams, and to Stef earlier for even though she had no trust whatsoever in any adult for they had all failed her in one form or another she for some reason liked the both of them and those feelings were hard for her to understand. It was something, well it was something about them, something different about them for she honestly felt that there smiles, and the gentle words they spoke to her were truly and possibly sincere and she could only hope they were but she just didn't know and she didn't know if it was something she could trust ever in her life. The one thing she did know at this time, and the only thing she knew she had to do without a choice was to stick to the story that her and Justina had rehearsed over and over again. This story and her telling it as convincingly as she could was what her life depended on. That much she knew and that was what Lena Adams was so clearly picking up on as the slim woman watched Justina falsely comfort Callie. However as life would have it Monte Porter was not so sure as_ _she soon ushered the woman to take her very troubled and shook up daughter home to comfort._

 _"Um...can we speak outside?" Lena whispered as Monte began to thank Justina for taking the time to meet with them over Callie's unfortunate situation. Monte looked surprisingly to the curly haired woman in a very confused manor as she followed her into the hall excusing herself from Ms. Marks and Callie._

 _"Yes?" Monte closed the door behind her as she spoke with an irritated tone and crossed her arms against her chest. It was no secret to Lena that since there breakup a year ago things were still unfortunately tense between the too. The curly hair woman had broken it off with her when she met and fell in love with Stef and of course she still felt horrible for the way things had ended between the two for she knew she had hurt Monte, but she also knew that she could not take the full blame for their problems. Monte had done her own fair share of damage._

 _"I don't think we should let her take Callie home. Something is...something is very wrong and and I can feel it..I.." Lena spoke in a concerned manner_ _as she noticed the look of annoyance on her ex girlfriends face._

 _"Why? What's the issue. You heard them. It was her boyfriend Lena."_

 _"I beg to differ. I don't believe it was. Stef and I spoke to Callie earlier and .." Lena began but after hearing the blondes name Monte cut her off as her eyes widened._

 _"Stef as in your partner Stef? she asked bitterly which Lena clearly picked up on and let out a soft sigh._

 _"You had her questioning a student without my person?" Monte's eyebrows furrowed and her face grew angry._

 _"Monte...it wasn't like that. Callie ran into her in the hall and Stef saw the bruises. She was just worried. We are both worried."_

 _"Lena, you know as well as I do that's not how we do things. You should know this and you should always clear things like that with me. And, as I recall Stef is not a member of the staff unless you decided to make her one behind my back."_

 _The brunette was growing frustrated as she knew Monte was giving her a hard time over anything but the real issue._

 _"Monte she was only trying to help and I am just asking you to listen and to please put our issues aside. This has nothing to do with you and me. This has to do with a very scared little girl who needs our help and..." She begged as the long haired brunette laughed sarcastically._

 _"Really Lena? You have that big of an ego to think it has to do with us? I know it doesn't have to do with us and I'm not making it about us. This has to do with you doing your job. That's what this has to do with." Monte voiced sternly as Lena grew defensive of her accusations._

 _"I have always done my job right from the very beginning. Always and I'm trying to tell you Callie is not being abused by some made up pretend boyfriend. Her foster mother is the one beating her and I am telling you the more and more I hear her tell that story the more I believe it and I'm trying to get you to see that." she barked back defensively._

 _"Oh Lena come on. You don't honestly believe that do you?_ _That woman has shown nothing but love and concern for her. You saw her comforting her, and being nothing but supportive. Or was that just something I was only seeing?"_

 _"Monte listen..that's what you see on the surface but that's not what is happening internally. I have seen this before. I have seen it many times in my years of working education."_

 _"Ok here we go again. Yes you and your wonderful PHd. How could I forget."_

 _"I can't believe you...you just..." Lena was beyond frustrated. More frustrated then ever._

 _"I'm sending them home." Monte enforced as she turned around ignoring her coworkers concerns. However, Lena was not one to give up especially when it came to the safety and well being of a child._

 _"I'm contacting Child Protective Services which we are legally binded to do if we suspect any kind of abuse in case you forgot how to do your job right." Lena barked fearlessly._

 _"Your being utterly ridiculous Lena. That woman is in no way beating that child."_

 _"And you can be so sure?"_

 _"As usual you overreact." she shook her head._

 _"Look that girl in there is hurting, she hurting more then we know as she is covered head to toe in bruises and whether you believe me or not is irrelevant. I am calling CPS and I want that woman investigated. No buts about it." Lena was stern more stern then she wanted to be but Monte had left her no choice at all for she felt she was on her own team by this time._

 _"Be my guest Lena. But if that woman comes back at us and tries to sue us for false allegations your own your own. I want no part of it." Lena sighed heavily to herself as Monte proceeded back into her office._

* * *

 _Within the hour of Lena Adams concerned call to CPS a phone call was made to Justina Marks from that same department by a close and equally corrupt friend alerting her of the reported suspicions by the school. The friend and also the head of the department agreed to do the visit herself as to wash away any allegations of abuse and chose to not even summon a police officer to assist her which was procedure when visiting a home were abuse maybe taking place. As the case worker and friend entered the inviting home of Justina Marks she unfortunately and unethically documented no signs of abuse at the hands of her friend and was satisfied that nothing seemed out of the ordinary to her and that Callie was fully and well taken care of. To top it off she not only neglected to ask Callie one single question about her situation but she fully supported the story of Callie's abusive boyfriend and had the audacity to reprimand the young teen for causing trouble and for giving her foster mother a hard time. Callie just took it in as the small glimmer of hope that someone, anyone would see she was lying faded. As she stood there unable to process what was happening around her and as she heard her foster mother dictate what to write on the report thoughts filled her head again as her mind went back to Stef and Ms. Adams as she suddenly remembered the phone number in her book. To her at this moment maybe just maybe they were that light at the end of the tunnel. Or maybe they were just another dead end that would cause her even more pain then she was in now._

 _As the night went on and the unscrupulous case worker left the home Callie found herself once again alone with Justina and having quickly recovered the phone number from her book and memorizing it as Stef suggested she found herself repeating it over and over and over as she leaned over the sink to do her nightly chore of washing the dishes. 619-598-8787. 619-598-8787.619-598-8787. 619-598-8787. Over and over it played in her head as she heard the heels of her foster mother slowly walking up behind her and within minutes she was standing less than an inch from her face. Callie hated that noise. She hated the sound of heels on the floor she thought as her stomach was once again turning around and around in circles as she could feel the woman's warm breath on her ear. The teen shook._ _619-598-8787. 619-598-8787.619-598-8787. 619-598-8787._

" _I told you. Didn't I. You honestly thought someone would help you didn't you?." Justina teased as she whispered in the teens ear softly. Callie shook again and could feel her knees become weak._ _619-598-8787. 619-598-8787.619-598-8787. 619-598-8787._

" _Callie, when will you learn that you can't escape me. I know everyone. I honestly do, and I have everyone right where I want them and they do as I say. Remember I own that organization and nothing gets passed me. Those people work under me and what I say goes. So accept it now and realize that no one will believe you. No one. You little girl, you are mine and always will be." She pulled away from the teens ear as Callie stood yet again frozen and fully prepared for her to strike her at any moment. She knew it was coming as she closed and squeezed her eyes shut. She squeezed them ever tighter as Justina's hand flew up in the air but she did not strike Callie. It was just a tease._

 _The girl felt the tears fall down her face as she knew what she said was true. That she was right and that no one was going to believe her. No one and there was nothing she could do. 619-598-8787. 619-598-8787. She once again repeated over and over and over as she waited and waited for the slap or punch to her face as she saw Justina's hand once again fly into the air but neglect to hit her once again._

" _Oh you're waiting huh? Waiting for me to hit you? Well guess what Callie. I won't hit you tonight. Or maybe I will. Or maybe I will hit you tomorrow or maybe I won't. You will just never know. Will you." She laughed and slowly walked away as the teen heard her flip on the TV and relax on the couch._

" _Callie bring your dear mother a glass of wine. It's been such a long and stressful day for me." She demanded softly as the teen felt the future impending doom. She would never escape Justina. 619-598-8787. 619-598-8787 that number was all she had to hold onto as she poured the wine and kept her head down._

 _But as confident as Justina may have been she had no idea that one person most certainly was not on her side, and was most_ _certainly_ _fully committed to digging into her past, and who most certainly did not buy her story. And that person was Stefanie Foster one no one should mess with._


	8. The San Diego Fair

_STEF POV_

 _I was furious more furious then I could ever imagine myself to be as Lena and I learned that Callie was still placed with Justina Marks. The day Lena had called me alerting me that she was contacting CPS I had every single intention of going over there myself to accompany the case worker. That, unfortunately, did not go as planned as I got called into a domestic disturbance that turned into a four hour hostage situation. Still determined to see to Callie's safety after the long night had diffused and arrests were made I had driven over to the home of Justina Marks and most certainly had banged and knocked on the door to find no one home. I sat outside for more then 2 hours waiting for her to come home, as I was completely distraught beyond words and rattled with guilt for I felt even though I did not know Callie, in fact I had talked to her for a total of only about twenty minutes if that, I still felt obligated to help her and to get her out of that violent situation. I wanted nothing more but to save this precious girl who didn't deserve all that was happening to her and I knew Lena did as well._

 _As we both walked along the beach and entered the San Diego Fair where we had had our first date a year ago, we both wanted to get out and enjoy the day but it was proving to be challenging as we both had Callie weighing heavily on our minds._

 _"I don't understand it. How could they not find anything?" I said as I held Lena's hand tightly looking into the warm sun._

 _"I don't know honey. I honestly don't. I mean when I called CPS this morning they just told me everything checked out and they believed there was no signs of abuse by her foster mother. They truly and honestly believe it was Oliver. I mean even you yourself saw he was arrested for assaulting her."_

 _I nodded my head in defeat as I sighed to myself as it was true I had run Oliver Lee's name though the system and he had an arrest record a mile long. Since the age of 10 he had been in and out of juvie, foster homes and had committed a string of robberies, burglaries and car thefts. He most certainly seemed like the guy who could fit the bill but judging by Callie's personality he didn't seem like the kind of guy she would date. But Lena and I both knew that victims of abuse usually dated abusers themselves but to us it still didn't make sense and I was growing even more concerned._

 _"And how much do we know about this foster mother. She must be paying someone off to keep their mouths shut." I said as I had every intention of investigating this woman myself._

 _"I thought about that love and as you know it's not uncommon. The foster care system can be very corrupt and a lot of kids just go unnoticed."_

 _"Nothing about this feels right. Not one thing." I stopped as I could feel the stress flow throughout my body as I rubbed my forehead._

 _" I know honey," Lena looked into my eyes once again and placed her hands inside mine._

 _"Baby I was sure myself that it was Justina and I still believe it's her. Even when I questioned her that same day we found out, I mean something about it rubbed me the wrong way as I told you. She appeared to be, I don't know very passionate but not, and very established but not and talked very openly about the work she does and how much she cares for these kids and for Callie but…" my partner trailed off._

 _"But she doesn't. That's the issue." I said shaking my head once again._

 _"We can still fight for her Stef. We can...and." As I listened to Lena my eyes caught something in the distance by one of the benches. As they fixated longer I realized from where I was standing that the young girl looked very much like Callie. She had the same jacket on even as the sun radiated a hot 80 degrees. I was pretty sure it was her unless my heart and mind were playing tricks on me._

 _"Stef did you hear me?" I heard Lena say as I was pretty sure the girl was Callie for sure now as she had turned her head to look back at the fair._

 _"Lena is that?" I asked as I pointed in the direction of the young troubled girl as Lena now turned her head too look in the direction I was pointing._

 _"Callie. Yeah it is." She looked at me and both of our faces were relieved but concerned. What were the odds._

 _"I don't want to scare her off love." I said._

 _"I know me either. But..she knows we care. Let's just go say hi to her.". Lena suggested as my eyes remained on the girl._

 _"Yeah. Lets." I smiled as my love grabbed my hand and we walked over to the young teen who had stolen our hearts._

* * *

 _CALLIE POV_

 _Today I had successfully gotten away from Justina for I had found the courage to tell her I had a big paper due and had to go to the library with my tutor. By the grace of god she had believed me and was hosting a party that she demanded I be home by five in order to show her foster daughter off. I didn't care I was just happy to escape her for a few hours which gave me time to breathe as for the past few days I had been holding my breath in for she was now playing another game with me where she wasn't beating me everyday but would only suggest at it, or hint at it and keeping me in suspense._

 _For the past two days I was feeling horribly guilty. More then guilty as their was a real kid out there who was no older then me named Oliver Lee who went to Jefferson. But I found out he had been another one of Justina's foster kids at one time who she had thrown in a group home and threatened that if he did not admit to beating me that she would throw him on the streets and watch him get killed. No one really knew how brutal and cruel she truly was and because of my lie, because of me being so afraid he was in Juvie once again and would have another charge of assault against him. I felt terrible and horrible and I had not slept a wink for I knew I had done the wrong thing in order to save myself. I was selfish. I was more then selfish I thought to myself as I looked out into the ocean,and looked down at the sandy, yellow beach and tried to ignore and tune out the sound of the San Diego fair that was going on around me. It was something I honestly didn't want to pay attention to as the families and their children walked around looking happy. That was a happiness I didn't deserve because I had lied, because I wasn't a good person and because I didn't matter. I would never know it and I would never experience it. It was my punishment and there was just no getting around it for.._

 _"Callie!" I heard someone call my name as my thoughts were interrupted but I looked around and saw no one. I didn't know anyone here, no one at all but then the thought had crossed my mind. What if it was Justina? What if she had found me? Where...where was I going to hide? I could maybe escape into the crowd but what would happen once I got home. What then I thought as a million scenarios filled my panicked head and I felt my breathing increase as my chest began to feel tight. My legs once again started to wobble a little as I hesitantly looked slowly around again completely filled with fear and…_

 _"Cal!" I heard again. But Cal? She never called me ….and I turned my body completely around to see both Stef and Ms. Adams walking over to me and waving happily. Now I was even more freaked, relieved that it was not Justina, but at the same time freaked out for I had lied to them. I had lied to them over and over and I wasn't a good person and they probably didn't,,they probably didn't like me or anything and I wanted to run but my feet were stuck. My feet were glued to the boardwalk as I stood in long jeans and a long shirt and jacket as the 80 degree sun shinned on me. At this moment I had no voice as the two woman approached me._

 _"Well what a wonderful surprise. It's nice to see you here my love." I heard Stef say as I embarrassingly looked up into her warm and sensitive eyes letting out a small smile._

 _"Hi." I whispered as I began to feel just as awkward as I did in the office only two days ago._

 _"Nice to see you Callie," Ms. Adams spoke warmly as well as I let out a soft smile to her._

 _"Is it your first time here?" Ms. Adams said . I wasn't expecting her to ask me that and to be honest I was expecting them to scream at me. To yell at me and to question me about...everything.. again. I remained silent and unsure of what to do or how to answer her for it seemed like a simple question but my mind couldn't think of anything._

 _"Are you here with friends honey?" Stef asked as my eyes slowly and hesitantly moved to look at her as I realized she didn't have her uniform on. Her hair hung long past her shoulders as she wore jeans and a short sleeve plaid shirt. She certainly looked less intimating as a smile continued to grace her face. Ms. Adams was out of her dressy work clothes and wore shorts and a tank top with sunglasses and sandals and her curly hair was up in a bun. She too smiled wide at me. For what reason I just didn't and couldn't comprehend._

 _"Love, we didn' t mean to startle you. We saw you from the other end of the fair." Ms Adams spoke once again as I still had not responded._

 _"Oh." I managed to muster out as the two woman continued to stare at me just as they had done a few day sago when I first met them with warm and I guess loving expressions._

 _"My love are you here with anyone?" Stef questioned again as I realized I had not responded to her earlier. I shook my head._

 _"No. I...I just came ..I came alone." I stuttered._

 _"Well, you're welcome to walk around with us, I know were not as fun as teenagers but we have our moments." She laughed as I stared back to the ground._

 _"I..I don't want to bother you or.." I began._

 _"Nonsense. Come hang with us it's fine. Your new to San Diego right?" Ms. Adams questioned as I nodded my head in response once again._

 _"Then all the more better for two natives to show you around. And we promise we won't embarrass you." Stef joked._

 _I wasn't sure what to do I wasn't sure at all for if I said no they might, they might suspect that more was wrong. If I said yes I would have to fake it. I would have to fake it until 5pm and it was only 1. To be honest I really didn't want to be with anyone especially with any adults whatsoever as I had just escaped Justina for a few hours. But I felt..I felt I had no choice and..I just didn't know what to do as I looked around hesitantly and unsure of how to respond to these two women that I didn't understand._

 _"Cal come baby. Lets get a taco. Our treat." I turned my head to look at Stef once again as the smile remained on her face. Why would she want to treat me. Or would I need to pay it back? That offer didn't..I didn't get it. I would have to find the money to pay them._

 _"I..I don't have any money." I admitted._

 _"Who said anything about money Callie. It's our treat." Ms. Adams said as my eyes remained on my feet._

 _"Come baby it's ok. We wont bite. I promise." Stef encouraged as I saw her stick out her hand for me to grab. But I just looked at it. I looked at it for what felt like years. I wanted to..I wanted to take it..for whatever reason, I wanted to but I was so scared. I was so scared and I..but I felt her slowly take my hand more softly and more gently then anyone had ever taken it or held it in my life. For whatever reason I didn't flinch as I normally would always do when someone came to close to me. It didn't happen as her hand was soft and...and different. I wanted to hold it back but I couldn't move my fingers. I couldn't move them at all and they felt numb. It was then I felt her rub my fingers as if she knew how I was feeling. But how could she if I never said anything. How could she if she didn't even know me. Neither of them knew me. My eyes slowly moved from the floor to her eyes as she winked at me and let out another soft and encouraging smile._

 _"You 're safe here with us my love." she whispered putting her arm around me and walking us straight to the taco booth. I knew then and there this day would be unlike any day I have ever experienced._

* * *

 _The day had flown by faster then anyone could imagine as I had spent the entire time with Stef and Lena. The thing was I was having such a good time and that thought alone was scary for I was feeling..I was feeling comfortable. A feeling I knew nothing about. I had laughed more times then I ever have in my life at Stef's corny jokes and when Ms. Adams, who had insisted I call her Lena, reprimanded Stef for using bad language at times. They had treated me to more tacos then I could count even as I hesitated they had insisted to pay for me each and every time as we filled up on cotton candy, and enchiladas. Stef was determined to try each and every food booth confidently declaring that she could out eat both me and Lena. The cop was almost like a big kid, and a playful adult as I had only seen her as a serious and intimidating police officer. That seemed to only be part of her personality. She was much more then that. Stef I learned that day was extremely generous, affectionate, funny,and very kind. Lena was smart, sophisticated and nurturing. But to be honest they both were all of those things and that afternoon they had treated me like no one ever had in my entire life. They had...cared. I was relieved however that they had not brought up the abuse, or Oliver Lee as they just seemed to let me enjoy myself. Which I didn't know how to really do._

 _"See we aren't so bad huh?" Stef asked as her hand still remained softly in mine. I was so use to holding it at this point that I wasn't even thinking about it anymore. It felt oddly familiar to me as I looked up to her and let out a small smile._

 _"No...not that bad." I laughed._

 _"What do you think of San Diego Callie?" Lena asked as we walked parallel to the beach that I had yet to go on._

 _"Its nice. I'm from Michigan were its really cold."_

 _"I didn't know you were from the Midwest. Gosh the weather must be like heaven for you sweets." the cop said as I looked up to her and she let out a soft smile._

 _"Its' nice. I like it." My eyes looked once again to the beach as I heard the two women talk amoung themselves as I had stopped to look at the waves and the glowing orange and yellow sun. I had not even realized how long I had been standing there until I felt both women stand on each side of me. There presence was..protective._

 _"Love do you wanna walk out on to the beach?" Stef said softly as my eyes remained fixated on the beach._

 _"It's a great time the sun is going to set soon." Lena pointed to the sun that I couldn't take my eyes off._

 _"Come baby. Let's check this out." I shyly agreed as Stef held out her hand once again and just as before I was too scared to take it. But she stepped closer to me once again not to scare me and not to intimidate me and slide her hand into mine._

 _"It's ok my love. Come let's check it out." she encouraged as the three of us took our shoes off and we walked slowly onto the hot sand. The feeling was weird and dry but it was warm and soft. I had been waiting for this moment my whole life as I slowly took in everything. Everything at this moment disappeared. Every fear, every worry and the pain my body was still in had faded. I was still holding onto Stef's hand and that was literally all I could feel. She...she felt like someone I had know my whole life and I didn't know why for I only knew her for no more then 7 hours._

 _"Have you ever been on a beach Callie?" Lena asked._

 _"No," I whispered._

 _"I figured. That day I bumped into you you were pretty much memorized by it." I looked up to Stef who smiled once again. How did she know I was memorized that morning by the beach. She knew a lot as my eyes moved back to the water and the sunset._

 _This was magical. More magical then...then I could imagine it being as I unconsciously found myself holding onto Stef's hand even harder then I ever had to anyone's as I felt her squeeze it back. But just as quickly as it left the fear returned and the trust faded...I...I was so scared to trust them. Yes they had given me one of the best days of my life, they really had but I was so scared to trust the both of them for they could honestly turn any minute. And then what if they did. What if they were faking. What if they didn't mean it. That filled my head. That filled my head so much and I ...I felt tears swell up in my face and I let go of Stef's hand abruptly and felt her look at me._

 _"Cal?" She questioned as I moved away from the both of them._

 _"Both of you. You...you are faking!" I yelled as they stood shocked looking at me._

 _"Cal…" Stef began._

 _"No! I don't... I don't believe you. You're faking and….and just leave me alone." I backed up even more as they began to walk slowly closer to me_

 _"Callie no….no honey we aren't faking. " Lena said as they both looked more concerned then ever._

 _"You think I trust you!" I yelled. "I..don't. I don't trust you at all. Especially you!" I pointed to Stef as her face took on a look of hurt._

 _"Callie my love.."she began again as she moved even closer to me._

 _"Don't call me that! Don't call me those names...you don't mean it. I know you don't. Just leave me alone!" I ducked my head into my arms as I felt Stef grab me but I pulled away so hard that she fell back into the sand. I felt so bad. I felt terrible as I ran and I heard them both scream my name wanting for me to come back. I could run faster then the other day as I had learned to live with the pain and before I knew it I had blended into the crowd loosing them. I wouldn't fall for it again. I wouldn't and as I looked at my phone which I had forgotten to look at all day for I had gotten so caught up in the amazing and scary time that I had, I saw that I had 35 missed calls from Justina as I had forgotten about the 5pm curfew. Suddenly my body went numb and I knew how my day would end._


	9. Stefanie Marie Foster

**Thanks again all for the reviews! They are amazing and inspiring.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter as I have more coming tomorrow. And don't worry someone will call someone very soon! *HINT HINT. :)**

 **Also I want to thank you for sharing what you guys wish and want to see. It really helps with the writing. Keep in coming! :)**

 _LENA POV_

 _As I felt Stef's warm body lay close to mine on the brown leather couch as we tried and attempted to watch Sleepless in Seattle I knew she was pretending to not be bothered or troubled by the way the day had ended with Callie. Her sudden outburst and pulling away from Stef so abruptly as she had taken off half frightened to death, left the both of us feeling crushed. But it wasn't very hard for us to guess what had scared her off, for we knew that even if we had shown her that we cared, and that we were on her side, that it had just honestly been too overwhelming for her as she most likely had never experienced what we tried to show her. Simply that we care. People caring for her was a foreign feeling to Callie, but it still left us feeling as if we had failed the young girl just as the system had for the last thing we wanted to do was to scare her off._

 _My mind continued to replay the day over as I couldn't help but notice how Callie had appeared to be so incredibly comfortable. Of course it had taken her a bit of time but there had been such a strong contrast in her behavior from what we had witnessed in my office two days ago. The Callie we had seen then was panicked, terrified, and wanted to disappear inside herself as her entire body trembled and shook. The Callie we had seen today radiated_ _with glimpses of happiness as she had let my partner surprisingly hold her hand the entire day as the two swung them back and forth like kids. This was something neither of us had anticipated. How much Callie had been drawn to Stef._

 _As a smile fell across my face I had not only observed Callie's change in behavior but I had seen a part of my girlfriend that I she had never shown. From this point on and from what I had seen during the past year that we had been dating, Stef was a hard edge cop that took her job and our relationship very seriously. She was fearless and handled difficult situations with extreme determination, persistence and strength to the point were she from time to time even intimidated me. The levels she would go to protect me at times was far beyond anything I had experience for there were a few times she had almost gotten into physical altercations especially when someone had called me the N word. Stef at times was a very hard shell to crack and extremely difficult to get to know for I had almost broken it off with her in the beginning as she was so closed off that it made the relationship extremely difficult. Fortunately she had begun to open up with me revealing the more mellow, humorous, and extremely nurturing and affectionate side of her that I enjoyed more then anything. But the truth was I had neglected to share my interest in having children or potentially having children with her because I knew of her miscarriages but also I just wasn't sure how comfortable she was around them for she had made a few comments from time to time that lead me to think she wasn't._ _I knew she dealt with them on her job from time to time but to me kids seemed non-existent to her as she often questioned how I dealt with so many of them on a daily basis. I thought that question was particularly amusing as she clearly saw them more of a threat then the violent criminals she dealt with on a daily basis._

 _But today, today I had seen the extremely maternal side that she clearly had pushed away and shoved under a mat. Seeing her with Callie and witnessing the sweet moments between the two, as they shared jokes and as Callie had continuously looked into Stefs eyes letting out a tiny smile and as my partner pulled her in closer for a hug, or as I watched the two share tacos and cotton candy, made me wonder and question why she so heavily neglected and doubted herself in that area for their was no reason too. Stef truly had no clue of the impact she had made on this young girl for in less than 2 hours she had been able to open the shell of a very heartbroken and troubled girl which by far was not an easy task as it was something neither I or the school social worker and psychologist had been able to do. That right their spoke volumes to me. But I knew how she was, at least I thought I did, and I knew this girl was affecting her heart in ways that no one ever had and seeing that had been one of the most rewarding things I had seen in long time. However, what was not so rewarding was that Callie's situation no matter how much we had intervened had still remained unchanged for one reason or another and we both felt like we had very much failed the teen just as the system was and had. It was no secret to either of us how corrupt the foster care system could be not at all and the one thing both of us knew was Justina Marks was no different._ _Saving Callie, yes she had claimed to do, but that was hardly the case as we just couldn't understand how any social worker or any caseworker could not see or not even document the abuse. But both of us were determined to get to the bottom of it if it was the last thing we would do._

" _Stef?" I said as I rubbed the side of her head while the movie neither of us were watching continued to play in the background. It was not typical for me to hold her like this for she had a hard time letting me comfort her but tonight she had let herself lay in my arms for I knew she was hurting._

" _Yeah babe?" she answered back softly._

" _Are you ok love?" I gently kissed the top of her head as I felt her soft blonde hair on my lips._

" _I'm fine babe." I could tell by her tone that she was clearly not fine._

" _Stef, she was overwhelmed honey." I stroked her long blonde hair as I felt her suddnely hold me tighter._

" _I know. I guess it was too much for her."_

" _It might have been baby. But you...you showed her something no one ever has."_

" _Mmm I don't know about that honey."_

" _Stef...I saw the two of you. She likes you very much." I said as she remained silent._

" _Honey?" I asked after she had not spoken in a few moments._

" _Yeah?"_

" _What are you thinking?"_

 _Slowly she pulled away from me and sat up next to me on the couch. I slide my hand into here's as I waited for her to talk. But she did not._

" _Honey?" I looked into her face as her eyes had failed to meet mine._

" _Baby?" I said again as she still had not spoken but now she glanced into my eyes and I could see hers were filling with tears._

" _Lena...there's something you don't' know about me." she began as I looked to her surprised and I saw her begin to panic. This was something I rarely if ever saw from her and I was beginning to worry because b_ _y this time I thought I knew all their was to know about Stefanie Foster as she knew each and everything about me. But I had to remember she just wasn't as open and I could not take any offense. Stef could be like a locked safe sometimes especially when it came to things that were too painful or hard to deal with._

" _What is it honey? You can tell me." I stroked her hand as she once again looked down at them as I couldn't help but notice how strikingly similar her behavior was to Callie's right now._

" _I was.." she began but abruptly stopped as it was clear that whatever she needed to tell me was more painful then she liked to admit._

" _Baby...what what is it honey. It's ok. It's alright my love. You can tell me." I wiped her tears._

" _Lena….I was abused as a kid." And there it was. I...couldn't believe my ears as I looked into her hurt and scared eyes as my expression had changed to one of shock. But as I thought long and hard certain things were starting to make sense now as Stef had never mentioned her parents or if I questioned her about it or about her childhood she was give vague answers and quickly change the subject. Now it all made sense._

" _Stef honey...I..baby I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry honey." I leaned into hug her and hug her tight as she cried in my arms and I rubbed her back as I did not see this coming. Not in the least._

" _I'm..sorry ..I couldn't tell you before I just..I just couldn't and I shoved it under the rug." she said pulling away from me and wiping her tears._

" _No..I understand honey. I do. But...is this why you never talk about your parents?" I inquired._

" _It wasn't my mother, she never laid a hand on me. But she never stopped it either. It was my father. He was...he was an alcoholic nightmare." she said shaking her head as I continued to see the pain in her face and hear it resonate in her voice._

" _How..how long did it go on?"_

" _MM until I ran away at 17 and entered the academy. I just...I couldn't take it anymore." I continued to rub her hand._

" _And your mother didn't…"_

" _Didn't stop it. No. She was too afraid. I mean she left him many times and took me along with her but she always ended up going back to him. Always. And….when she started working nights it. It was bad. Some nights he just beat me mercilessly and I..." she stopped and I nodded my head as tears fell down my own face as well. I couldn't help but feel...but feel heartbroken and guilty as my childhood had been nothing like that. Sure my parents had there issues but no one had gotten abused, and no one was an alcoholic. They had been loving, accepting and encouraging and I couldn't imagine going through what Stef had. My heart...my heart broke for her._

" _Baby it's ok honey." Stef smiled softly as she gently wiped my tears._

 _" I just….I try not to think about it and it happened so long ago but I think meeting Callie and...it just caused my past to resurface. I mean I've met a lot of kids on the job who have gone through much worse then what I did but this girl just reminds me of...she reminds me so much of myself that I couldn't push my past behind me any longer. When I look at her...I see that same pain I felt, that same panic and that same fear. It's just something you live with from day to day and can't escape and it's nothing anyone can take away." she said as I continued to listen._

" _Lena..that's why I'm worried about...well worried about having my own children and I can't help but feel like maybe I wouldn't be a good mother. Maybe I would repeat those habits, and maybe that's why I had those miscarriages. Maybe...I would turn into my father." she looked down at our hands as I knew it was now time for me to talk and clear up that terrible misconception she had of herself._

" _Stef, please listen to me baby." I now sat closer to her and grabbed both of her hands as I saw the pain continue to fill her entire face and body._

" _I know you baby, I know you more than you think and you are in no way that kind of person. Never ever and I cant even imagine you being that kind of person. Do you think you would be like Justina? Do you honestly think that honey?" my eyes looked deeply into hers as she tried to dodge my glare. But I placed my hand softly on her chin and moved her face gently to look into mine._

" _I..I would hope I would not be. I just would hope not and...I just .."_

" _You wouldn't hurt a fly baby. You wouldn't and there should be no doubt in your mind what so ever. Stef, I saw you with Callie today. I saw how, I saw how maternal you were with her. How you held her hand, how you hugged her, how you took care of her and believe me that little girl felt it, and you felt it too. It..it looked so natural for you and you looked happy. You looked like it was apart of you that has been screaming to get out. Callie knows you wouldn't hurt her, and I know deep down inside you know you wouldn't hurt her either and if I know anything I know that. Baby, you didn't have miscarriages because the gods think you would be an abusive parent, you had them for, well for reasons we will never know honey. That's just the way life is sometimes. But you, you are an amazing woman Stefanie Marie Foster and you are one of the most amazing people I've ever met and that's why you were so easy to fall in love with." I glanced into the eyes of the woman I loved more then anything as it pained me to see the confidence she lacked in herself at times.I knew it was more painful then anything for her to admit what had happened to her as a kid I knew that but I also knew she was incredibility hard on herself._

" _You would be an amazing mother." I said sternly as she let out a soft smile._

" _Are you upset with me?" she asked._

" _No..of course not baby. Stef I can't imagine how painful it was for you to tell me. I can't and I can't imagine what you must have gone through. But, I am in no way mad or angry or any of that sweetheart. I'm glad you feel you can tell me these things. I'm glad for that." I said reassuring her as I continued to wipe the tears from her face and now slowly leaning in to kiss her lips._

" _I love you baby. I love you so much." I said as I felt her kiss my lips softly back._

" _I love you too." We gently pulled away as my hands slowly rubbed the side of her face once again and we sat in silence for a few moments._

" _Lena, we have to get her out of that home. If Callie will have any chance we have to get her out, and we have to fight. We have to fight for her now."_

" _I'm prepared to do whatever we need to Stef."_


	10. AN

I just wanted to take the time to thank all of you who are reading this story, and for all of your positive reviews. I realize I won't be able to please everyone ( even if I wish I could) but I hope you will continue to enjoy what I write as it is truly coming from the heart and I always look forward to hearing from you. This story has proven to be difficult to write at times, as there are so many scenarios that could happen but you have continued to keep me inspired and thank you for giving me the confidence to continue. Thanks guys again!:)

-Stef1981


	11. The Call Part 1

_CALLIE POV_

 _As I walked slowly and fearfully up to the house I saw only Justina's care parked in the circular driveway as I had been hoping the entire walk home that maybe her guests would stick around which would delay the beating I would most certainly get for missing her call and for missing the 5pm curfew. In my mind I didn't know how I could have forgotten and I don't know how I missed all her calls. I had had such a wonderful time with Stef and Lena that nothing else in the world seemed to matter. But now it would and I would feel the consequences._

 _Turning the key slowly into the knob I knew it was better to just get this over with then prolong it any longer by standing outside or attempting to sneak in without her noticing. What was the point I thought for she knew I wasn't here and I knew she was on the other side of the door seething with anger if not rage. As I held my breath and turned the key into the lock and fearfully turned the knob to open the door the house was rather empty and still. My legs at this point were trembling and almost felt numb as I saw a light on in the kitchen and heard the TV blaring in the living room. Justina was most certainly up. Holding my breathe I began to walk lightly over the wood floor counting each step as to steer my mind away from the anxiety I was feeling.1, 2,4,5,6. I counted. 7, 8,9..._

 _"_ _Well, well look who decided to show up." I heard a rather calm but sarcastic voice say from the living room as I closed my eyes and stood frozen in my tracks. By the sound of her voice and the way she was slurring her words I knew she had been drinking which would inevitably only make things worse. It was bad enough when she was sober but when she had had a few glasses of wine her punches felt almost super human._

 _I turned around fear stricken to see her resting on the couch with a glass of wine and her feet up on the ottoman with her expensive Prada dress on and diamond necklace that shimmered in the light. I knew the game she had been playing with me the last two days were she would hint at beating me but never would was over. She was fuming as to me her eyes were glowing red and her hands were most likely going through withdrawals. I wasn't sure if I should speak, or if should remain silent for either one could do me no good for it was a losing battle for me anyway no matter which choice I made. In the end Justina had my life in her hands and she knew it._

 _"_ _Justina..I'm sorry…" I said apologetically almost pleading as I stood in the giant hallway._

 _"_ _Save it! Just save it Callie!" she snapped as she put her wine glass down and slowly began to walk towards me placing her Prada heels back on. I knew what that meant as I hated those shoes for I had the marks and cuts she had given me with them on my back. I swallowed hard as she now stood over me looking down into my face, and their it came back to me._ _619-598-8787. 619-598-8787.619-598-8787. Stef's number. But why? I had...I had hurt both of them by running off after all they had done for me today...I was...I was a horrible person and I didn't deserve their help._

 _"_ _So, you don't like to follow rules huh? She scowled as she smirked at me with one of her trick questions as I could feel the anxiety began to make my head feel light. My stomach at this point had a mind of its own as it was turning in circles and upside down and around._

 _"_ _I'm sorry..I lost track of time and…"I lied._

 _And their it was. She smacked me so hard in my face I landed on the ground and hit the side of my head on the wood floor as I could see stars dancing around and the room began to spin. The impact made my head throb from one end to the other as my vision became foggy._ _619-598-8787. 619-598-8787.619-598-8787...Stef...Stef's number. Just focus on..focus on that and not the pain for I knew it was only beginning._

 _"_ _Oh,,,listen to that! You' re sorry! You're sorry! What can I do with you're sorry? Huh? You tell me you little stinking piece of shit! Do you know what you did? You mortified me! You embarrassed me as I had important people over here and I needed you here! But I had to tell them my daughter didn't care. That she was off at the beach and that she's a liar!That's what I had to tell them! You just don't see it do you you selfish brat! You don't get how much you are ruining things for me!" she screamed and yelled louder than ever...as..how did she know I was at the beach. How could she know..unless she..unless she had followed me._

 _"_ _Oh I saw you Callie. I saw you because I see everything! I saw you with that dyke Vice Principal of yours and her blonde bitch. I saw you clear as day!"_

 _I was horrified. I was more then horrified...I was petrified for I had never seen her this angry ever._

 _"_ _Justina...I'm sorry...I'm…." I begged trying to get up onto my feet as she took the sharp tip of her heal and kicked me in the stomach with it causing my knees to give out and sending me down to the floor again._

 _"_ _You don't get up! You don't get up until I let you! How dare you make a fool of me! How dare you!"_

 _This time I stayed on the ground as the blow to my head was making me nauseous as she pulled my hair and rammed my head on the floor. I didn't know how much more I could take, and I didn't know how much more my body could take before it shut down, and before she….before she killed me. She...she must have followed me. She must have and had followed me from the library to the beach and saw me….She...she was there and I had not escaped her at all. I had not...and I felt her kick my stomach again and again as she now leaned down to me and looked into my eyes glaring the scariest glare I had ever seen as her breath smelled of alcohol._

 _"_ _So you think those two dykes can take care of you better then me! Is that what you think. HuH?'_

 _I couldn't respond as I was going in and out of concussions now. I knew my mind I knew my whole mind was no longer their as the room kept turning black and then fuzzy and then black again. I tried hard to focus on answering her...I tried so hard as she continued to pull my hair from the back and lift my face up to hers. The stink of her breath...the smell of it...it made me even more sick, it made me even more dizzy._

 _"_ _You belong in the gutter. That's where you belong you ungrateful little brat. I do all of this for you and what do I get in return! Lies, betrayal, going around talking behind my back! This time she pulled my hair so hard that I knew she had ripped it out of my scalp as I had winced in pain even if by this point my head was numb and I could feel the blood rushing out of it. I was scared. I was more scared than anyone could imagine. She was going to kill me. She was going to kill me and I would die. I would die tonight._

 _"_ _Get up! Get up so I can show you what happens when you lie to your mother! Get up!" she screamed as I tried so hard to get to my feet as the room continued to spin and spin and spin, but I couldn't I couldn't get up, I had no...no fight in me. Nothing as at that moment my body became numb as Justina continued to literally beat me to near death. She beat me harder and more forceful than ever as I could feel the rage radiate off of her as she continued to kick my ribs over and over and over and my back. I soon felt her kick my face, my cheeks, my jaw. But then I felt nothing. I felt nothing any longer as I knew she was still over me screaming. But it all...it all went black as my mind began to dream. I was back at the beach walking on the sand as I felt Stef's hand in mine and heard Lena laughing as we walked in the sand for hours. The sun was shining on us, it was warm, it was like nothing ever. It was amazing. Maybe I was in heaven right now. Maybe….maybe I was going their. Maybe this is what it felt like. Maybe,...but I slowly came to as I heard the TV in the background and felt my face resting on the cold wooden floor. I had no idea how long I had been laying like this as my eyes felt swollen and puffy and I felt something in my mouth. I slowly opened it and realized it was two of my teeth as they had fallen onto the ground now. She had kicked them out._

 _At this moment I had to vomit and I had never been in so much pain in all my life as even breathing hurt as I slowly began to drag myself on the floor near the bathroom. I didn't want to die. I didn't even if Justina wanted me to. Part of me...whatever part that was wanted to live. I...I didn't want to die on this floor. I didn't as I tried to hold back the tears that were coming from my eyes. But that hurt. That hurt too much as I continued to slowly drag myself even more which was proving to be more difficult than breathing. I ...I didn't know where she was...I could only guess Justina was passed out on the couch...I could only hope...but I ..I didn't want to die...Who would help me...I didn't know but..._ _619-598-8787. 619-598-8787.619-598-8787. Stef….That's that's all my brain knew. That's all..as I tried so hard to keep going, as I tried so hard to ignore the pain...I had to call. I..didn't want to die. I didn't want too. 619-598-8787. 619-598-8787.619-598-8787..Just make it to the bathroom Callie. Please just make it….just please you are almost there. Almost …..._

 _Slowly as each and every movement felt like I would die I managed after I have no idea how long I managed to drag my body into the bathroom as I slowly closed the door behind me blocking it with my body for there was no lock as Justina had removed them all. I was terrified..I was so scared..I just..I just had to call,,,as by the grace of god...with broken fingers I had somehow gotten my phone out of my pocket as I saw blood stains on them. The numbers on the phone I couldn't….I could barely see as my vision was still off and on and my fingers felt numb. Stef's number..._ _619-598-8787. 619-598-8787.619-598-8787..._ _rang in my head...I was scared...I was going to die in this bathroom._ _619-598-8787. 619-598-8787.619-598-8787._

 _I entered the numbers slower than ever as I remained pinned to the floor for standing was not possible as I continued to feel the blood drip down my face which I thought was sweat. All I could think was to please..please let her answer. Please for I knew I couldn't and had no fight left to dial it again as I heard it ring and someone picked up on the third ring._

 _"_ _Hello." I heard someone say but I was too weak, and two sick to know who it was._

 _"Ste ef.._ _I managed to say as my throat stung._

 _"_ _Callie! Callie what's wrong baby. Whats wrong?" she said in a panicked tone._

 _"_ _I...I need.." and with that I passed out._


	12. The Call Part ll

**Here we go! Hope you all enjoy. Just want you to know I don't know much about police protocol, actually I don't know any etc.. so if I did not write it correctly please forgive me! Thanks :)**

STEF POV

 _Sleeping was one thing that proved not to be on my side tonight as I couldn't for the life of me get my racing mind to ease, which I knew for certain would only cause me to be zombie at work for which I had to get up for in less then an hour as I glanced once again to the DVR clock and saw it read 3AM. Sighing heavily to myself out of frustration, I kissed the top of Lena's soft head as she fallen asleep in my arms nearly three hours ago on the couch. The night had warranted itself to be not only challenging but taxing on both of our emotions and minds as we tried to think of every possible solution to help Callie. A few times it caused one or more disputes between Lena and I for my solution was much more impulsive and risky for I just wanted to barged into that woman's home and beat the living shit out her, grab Callie and put her into a home where I knew she would be safe and well cared for. In my minds eye it was just that simple but reality wouldn't see it that way which I knew and we could end up making the situation worse by going that route. Finally, after much resistance I hesitantly agreed with my partner where we decided to make a visit to CPS tomorrow to meet with her social worker and figure out why the hell she was still in that home, since no one was giving us any kind of answers over the phone. They all seemed clueless and gave off the impression of not giving a shit. That alone made my blood boil._

 _To be truly honest that little girl wasn't the only thing that was keeping my mind racing although it was the main reason, but memories of my own abuse were resurfacing more then I would have liked to admit. After confiding in Lena about my past which I never had any intentions what so ever of doing I couldn't shut that conversation out of my head. Not that Lena pitied me but...one of the reasons I hid it was I didn't want the sympathy and I didn't ever want to acknowledged that it had happened to me for if I did..I didn't want to be seen as a victim or anything. But as my mind replayed my past over and over and each time I saw Callie it was forcing me to deal with it and remember it as I too had gone to school with bruises that I had tried so hard to conceal. I too had felt my body ache from head to toe as I tried to walk around like nothing hurt me but it had. I too had walked with my head down, and neglected to make eye contact with adults as I wanted to avoid any unwanted attention. I too had been were Callie was. I too was hoping and waiting for someone to save me, anyone to save me so that I wouldn't have to live in fear and panic everyday. But that person never really came as I ended up saving myself when I realized my mother would not and that was a disappointment. She had seen the beatings, she had heard them and she had done nothing. Nothing at all as all she could say to me was, "Stefanie why do you make your father so mad. Just keep your mouth closed." I would not make that mistake with Callie, I was gong to be there for her, I was going to help her and I was going to be that person that I had always looked for when I would feel the blows to my body. I ...wanted her to believe she had a chance, I wanted her to know that she mattered and I wanted her to know that Lena and I both cared so much for her. I had tried to show her that today and I believed..deep inside she knew it. That was my goal._

 _For me leaving at 17 was the only way I knew how to survive and I knew Callie was just two years shy of that. I had simply picked up and left one night without so much as a goodbye to either of my parents, just leaving my mother a note with no indication of where I planned to go or anything. In my mind there was no other choice if I wanted to live. Mike, who had been my boyfriend at the time and generally a good guy, drove us up the coast of California to his aunts house in Sacramento who agreed to let us stay as long as we got jobs and payed our way. I Knew it was a much better deal then the one I had grown up in so after scouring the mall for two days and filling out endless applications, on our way home from the train station one afternoon we saw recruitment signs for the police academy. Not even giving it a second thought as we read all what was needed and what they provided the both of us signed up. Mike was already 19 but I would only be 18 in less then five months which was fortunate for me for I just passed the point were they would allow me to sign up. 17 1/2. In less then two months we both trained, passed every test and physical and got married soon after moving into our own apartment. Life was not too bad but I was miserable...I was so horribly miserable and had no clue as to why for I had escaped my violent home and made a living for myself. To make a long story short I had two failed pregnancies with Mike and after 20 years of marriage and at almost 40 years old I left him and moved back to San Diego. It was there I met Lena and my real life began. My real life began and ...I was suddenly interrupted out of my thoughts by the blaring sound of my cell phone._

 _Slowly turning my head and reaching for it on the coffee table without trying to wake Lena I glanced at the unknown number that flashed across the screen. Ironically not giving it a thought or realizing it could in fact be Callie I picked it up as my partner snuggled into my chest more._

 _"Hello." I said in a somewhat raspy and sleepy tone as I began to rub my eyes._

 _"St..eff.." I soon heard a weak voice stutter my name on the other end and I instantly knew it was Callie as my heart dropped and my body sat up waking Lena._

 _"Callie! Callie what's wrong baby. Whats wrong?" I yelled in a worried and panicked tone._

 _"Stef..whats wrong honey?" Lena asked as a look of fear also fell across her face as I waited impatiently for Callie to respond._

 _"I...I need.."... she began and then trailing off as a few seconds had gone by as I soon heard only very faint breathing._

 _"Callie! "Callie baby are you there?" I yelled again as my heart was racing and the adrenaline was going through my entire body as Lena took my hand and squeezed it._

 _After not hearing any answer I pulled the phone away from my ear and saw that the call was still connected. I realized she must have passed out and I was scared, more scared then I ever have been in my life._

 _"Shit!" I screamed._

 _"Stef...is she...is she ok what is it?" I got up quickly off the couch and held the phone to my hear still hearing Callie's breathing._

 _"Stef what is it? What is wrong with Callie?" Lena yelled._

 _"She's in trouble... she's...in trouble and I gotta get over there. I gotta get over there now..God dammit why didn't I...I knew I should have went over there tonight I knew it! God dammit." I said yelling at myself and feeling like the biggest failure known to man._

 _"I should have done what I set out to do. I should have just went over there and pulled her out of that home. I should have. I should not have listened to you." Now yelling at Lena which I knew was wrong to do. I knew it was._

 _"Are..are you blaming me?" Lena yelled back as I ran into the room and she quickly followed as I refused to answer._

 _"Talk to her. Take the phone and talk to her." I demanded as a look of hurt feel on Lena' face. Yes I was angry at her, yes I very much was but I was just upset and knew I couldn't and shouldn't blame her as that was not fair. But I had no time to think about it as I threw my uniform on faster then I ever have and placed my gun belt on around my waist._

 _"Callie it's ok, Stef and I are here just hang on. Hang on honey you will be ok. You will be ok sweetheart." my partner spoke softly but I could see the tears in her eyes. I had no time to cry. I had no time at all as I had thrown my shoes on and grabbed my badge and car keys running out the room._

 _"I am coming with you. I am coming." Lena threw her slippers on._

 _"No, love you can't...I don't know what I'm going to find and ...and it could get dangerous. Just stay here and call 911." I grabbed the phone back from her._

 _"Stef..please...let me know.."_

 _"I will my love...I will." I ran out the house faster then anything and jumped in the SUV calling for immediate backup._

 _"This is officer Stef Foster I'm calling for immediate backup assistance to 987 Westwood blvd. I repeat 987 Westwood Blvd immediate backup needed and a bus. Possible child abuse case, one woman in the house and an unconscious teen. Send a bus Code 10-52." I couldn't get the words out fast enough and 90 miles per hour didn't seem fast enough either as I drove with one hand on the wheel and held the phone in my other hand were I still had Callie on the line._

 _"Callie baby...Callie I'm still here my love, I'm still here and I'm coming for you but I need you to stay with me babygirl. Just stay with me." I was praying hard...which was something I never did but I didn't know what else to do..I just didn't and I just wanted more then anything for my baby to be ok. I wanted her to ...and I couldn't think or allow myself to think she wasn't going to be ok. I couldn't let my mind go there as I had to stay focused but when I looked at the phone once again ..I saw the call had dropped._

 _"Dammit! No no no...no don't hang up." I redialed the number again as it only went to voicemail._

 _"Shit! Damm you Stef. Damm you. Why didn't you just go to the house again. Why didn't you! What is wrong with you!" I said screaming to myself as I knew I only had one or two more blocks to get there._

 _"Oh Callie baby be ok...please baby be ok I'm almost there. I'm almost there."_

 _Within half a minute I pulled up to the house and immediately saw a cop car pull up behind me and I instantly noticed that it was Mike. Soon after I had left him and Sacramento he had moved back to San Diego himself and transferred to the SDPD were we remained friends. He had been the first person I told that I was lesbian._

 _"Heard you on the radio and was in the area." He said quickly walking over to me as I raced passed him._

 _"Hurry...I don't know how much time she has!" I yelled as he caught up to me and looked me right in the eyes._

 _"I know this girl...the woman is beating the shit out of her..."_

 _Mike swallowed hard...as we headed to the dark house and pounded on the door._

 _"Police open up!" He yelled as I felt the gun on the waist. I wanted to shoot this bitch. Man did I ever if I wanted to shoot anyone it was her I thought as we heard the door unlock and she stood there in her robe and tired eyes looking as if nothing was wrong._

 _"Officer's is there a problem?" she asked in a somewhat eerily calm tone...meanwhile I knew Callie was somewhere in that house unconscious._

 _"Ma'am..." Mike began but I cut him off._

 _"Yes there most certainly is a damm problem." I yelled as I tried to look behind her but she had the door barely open only sticking her head out which made it difficult to see past her._

 _"Where is Callie Jacobs?" I asked moving closer to her as Mike touched my arm. He knew well enough how protective I was and how bad my temper could really get as he had witnessed it on more then one occasion._

 _"My foster daughter? She's..she's asleep in her bed. I'm sorry what does this have to do with? I didn't call the police."_

 _"Ma'am we will need to check inside." Mike enforced._

 _"I'm sorry that is not possible."_

 _"Lady...do me a favor and get the hell out of my way before I bust you down on the ground along with that door." I barked as Mike moved closer to me as I knew if anyone would be on my side it was him._

 _"We have reason to believe your daughter is hurt and we need to make sure everything is ok." my ex husband said as my nostrils began to flair and I was less then a second away from kicking her out of my way._

 _"I beg your pardon but I have no idea were you would get such information. No one called you. I put her to bed hours ago. I would know if something was wrong."_

 _"I bet you would. Now... I'm not asking again I said move or I will move you myself and believe me..you don't want that." I leaned in even closer to her face as I saw her swallow hard. I wanted her to feel my anger, I wanted her to feel my rage and I wanted her to know I was not playing around. Not one bit._

 _"I know my rights..and I know you can't..." and before I could let her finish I pushed the door in and stormed passed her._

 _"Hey..you can't just come in here without..."_

 _"Callie! Callie baby!" I screamed._

 _"I said to get out of my house! Before I have your badges!" She yelled as I turned around to look at her._

 _"Go ahead and have my badge. Because I'm going to have your neck if you don't tell me where Callie is." My eyes glared coldly into hers as Mike moved in closer._

 _"Ma'am we have every right to come in and be here if we believe someone is hurt or if there is a problem. Tell us where Callie is.,..now!" he yelled._

 _"Callie who?" she smirked and I could feel my hand touching my gun on my waist as I wanted nothing more then to shoot her when I heard a moan. I looked to Mike and we heard the moan again and I slowly turned my head towards the hallway when my eyes focused on something that looked like feet._

 _"Ma'am you stay with me. Don't you dare move." he yelled._

 _As I drew my weapon...and held it up I slowly walked down the hall and I realized what I thought were feet sticking out the doorway most certainly were. Bye this time I could feel my chest pounding and my heart racing for when I got to the doorway and walked into what I realized was a bathroom the site I saw almost made me pass out. There was Callie on the floor with her finger resting on the phone, blood trailing down her face. Her eyes puffed and barely open. She was still wearing the same shirt and jacket she had on from when we had spent the day with her at the beach only a few hours ago. My stomach turned and my heart stopped as I knelt down to my baby and I felt the tears stream down my face as I remembered the smile she had smiled at me and the way her hand had felt in mine as she had held it all day. I had never felt so...I had never felt so defeated, so heartbroken and so..so broken on the inside. I gently took my hand and rubbed her face._

 _"Oh baby. Callie…" I said softly looking over her body as I saw it move up and down and her eyes open halfway looking at me._

 _"Ste..ff..I.." she began but barely audible._

 _"Shhh it's ok. It's ok baby I'm here..." I whispered to her as the tears fell into my mouth and I felt her pulse which was very faint. She needed help and the amublance needed to get here now as I called for them yet again on my radio._

 _"Callie baby you just stay with me. You hear me? I'm here now baby. I'm here and I won't ever let anything happen to you ever again. But you have to stay with me. OK sweets. Can you do that for me?" I kissed her forehead as I heard Mike yell from the other room._

 _"Stef what is it!?" He screamed._

 _"This is ridiculous. You two just can't just come in here..." I heard Justina yell from the hallway and as hard as it was for me to walk away from Callie at that moment I got up...I got up and stormed in the hallway and grabbed Justina and slammed her against the wall slapping cuffs on her wrists._

 _"Justina Marks you are under arrest for the attempted murder of a minor." I said angrily._

 _"What? This is crazy I haven't tried to murder anyone. This is ridiculous." she said as I turned her around to face me locking my eyes with hers._

 _"You...disgust me and more then anything I wanna put a bullet in your head and watch you bleed. That's what I really want to do. But you just better fucking, my god you better get on your snobby ass knees, and pray, beg and plead that that little girl will be ok. Because believe me if she is not I will dedicate my life to making yours a living hell. Don't test me." I scowled in her face as I grabbed and held onto the collar of her robe. This time she didn't look so scared. She looked humored and amused which lead me to believe she was going to get away with what she did. Which lead me to believe this was not the first time she had done something like this. Even if she had no record for I had searched long and hard she was hiding something and I was going to find it no matter what._

 _"Get her out of here!" I yelled to Mike as he grabbed her._

 _"My pleasure!"_

 _"I'll have your badge Stefanie Foster." she scowled as my eyes locked with hers when the paramedics and backup finally entered the home taking her out. I myself knowing Callie needed help immediately ran back into the bathroom as the paramedics slowly picked her up and placed her on the stretcher. Nothing but tears continued to fall from my face as...as I had failed this girl so badly and the guilt once again was eating me alive._

 _A few moments had passed when I felt Mike come beside me as the EM's attached IV's to the stretcher and into Callie's arms._

 _"She's gonna have a bad night. The woman." I remained silent as his eyes were now directed at Callie._

 _"Stef, how do you know her?" he asked as he placed his hand on my arm._

 _"She's one of Lena's students. We called CPS two days ago letting them know what we thought was going on. They ignored it."_

 _"Damm." he shook his head._

 _"She will be ok Stef. She will." I heard him say as I did not take my eyes off of her and I never would ever again as they began to wheel her out and I quickly followed behind getting into the back of the ambulance with her as I would not take no for an answer. I sat there with Callie and held her hand as softly as I could for I knew her fingers were broken and I rubbed them...trying to rub the pain away as her eyes kept opening and closing._

 _"She's pretty badly hurt." The EM said to me as they placed a breathing tubed into her nose and I looked back to her pleading and scared eyes._

 _"Cals..my love you are strong. You and I both...and I need you to fight. Just like you have been only harder. Only harder baby. Because you are..you are worth everything to me. You are worth everything to Lena and we love you sweetheart. We love you so so much. Be strong my love. Be strong."_

 _"Mama.." I heard her faintly whisper to me as I felt her squeeze my hand as my eyes continued to water. Somewhere during the last few days Callie had become my little girl...and I knew what I needed to do more then ever._


	13. Fears

**So glad you guys are still on board! This is some adventure! As this story has taken me to so many places. I even wrote on the beach for three hours the other day. It really can help it and set the mood.**

 **Just a few thoughts...I know Lena seems like the weaker one in the story but I don't want her to be. I want her to fight for Callie in her own way and I'm still trying so hard to figure her out. Clearly she is very different from Stef and I find her hard to write for sometimes but hopefully as the story grows she will grow as well and reveal herself to be strong.**

 **Thanks all and I hope you enjoy!-Stef1981**

LENA POV

 _"So because we aren't family, which we already told you she has non and we are obviously the only people she has, we can't see her or get any information about her condition?" Stef barked aggressively to the doctor as we stood in the ER waiting room at San Diego Memorial Hospital._

 _"Officer, it's hospital policy that we can't give that type of information out. Only her social worker..."_

 _"Hospital policy!..give me a god damm break. Do you see a social worker? Do you?! Tell me if you do because I don't see a dam sole. Not one!" she gestured to the empty waiting room around us. I myself was equally frustrated as Callie's social worker had not shown up and we had been here longer then three hours and were told nothing. It seemed this girl just couldn't get a break as it was one thing after the other of very unsupportive people in her life. It was downright ridiculous._

 _"Ma'am..I understand that but.."_

 _"No you don't understand! Don't stand here and tell me you understand because you have no damm idea and... .." I quickly chimed in for Stef's face was turning a crimson red as she continued to lean closer to the doctor who was slowly backing up from her. I knew we weren't going to get anywhere if she kept intimidating him but I also knew she was upset, I knew she was hurt, as the both of us were more then we knew._

 _"Stef." Gently my hand touched her arm._

 _"What?" her face turned to glare at me and I could clearly see the irritation written all over it which was now directed toward me._

 _"Honey let me." I spoke softly to her as she let out a heavy sigh of defeat._

 _"Doctor...if we call her social worker again and he approves our visit or consents for us to receive information about Callie would that be ok?" My voice was stern as my eyes focused and solely on his face which appeared to be understanding but indecisive._

 _"I don't know..."...I looked to him patiently but I could feel ready to jump down his throat again as I quickly responded to diffuse anymore tension between the two. I knew that wasn't going to get us anywhere._

 _"Listen, we aren't trying to break any rules or give any of you a hard time. That's not what we are here for. The thing is...this little girl is scared. She is terrified and she literally has no one. No one at all. The woman who was suppose to care for her and look after her was the one who put her in here. We just..we just want to assure Callie that she is ok, that she will be ok, and that she has someone who cares for her. She's just already been through so so much and trusting people is not ...it's not easy for her. Just if there is anything that you can do just so we can...just so we can be there for her please.?" The doctors face softened as he glanced around the room and back towards the Intensive Care Unit as I was hoping and praying that he would consider what I said._

 _"Listen...let me see what I can do. I will contact CPS and social services myself. But I'm not promising anything." he insisted._

 _"Thank you doctor. Thank you." I smiled gratefully as we had made a tiny bit of progress._

 _"Not promise?" I heard my partner say as I turned to her clearly displeased._

 _"Stef..please. Thank you doctor." he nodded his head and returned to the ICU as I let out a heavy sigh._

 _"Christ sake don't people see we just care and want to help her. Don't they?!." Stef growled as she turned to me leaning her head down._

 _"Honey...you have to calm down." my hand once again graced her arm._

 _"I can't Lena. I can't calm down! That little girl is fighting for her life and I can't be as calm as you are ok?!I just can't do that!"_

 _"Are you trying to say I don't care? Is that what you are trying to say again?" I was now angry myself as I just couldn't help but feel like Stef's anger was directed right at me and that she was insinuating that I didn't care for this little girl. Yes I appeared to be calm but I was anything but that as I watched my partners eyes glare into mine as she was evidently surprised by what I said._

 _"What are you talking about I never said you didn't care. I never said such a thing to you!"_

 _I could feel my emotions ready to explode as I squeezed my eyes tightly to hold back the tears that were now beginning to form in my eyes._

 _"Stef! You don't remember what you told me in the bedroom? That you shouldn't have listened to me. That it's basically all my fault what happened. You think that didn't hurt? You think I don't blame myself? You think I don't? Well guess what I do! I do blame myself for the entire thing. That's right and I'm sorry if...if I'm not like you. If I'm not like an aggressive bull dog who stampedes over everyone. I'm sorry you're angry at me for not doing what you wanted. For not doing what you wanted! I'm sorry... I did all I could..and yes I failed, I failed miserably and yes I went about it the wrong way. The complete wrong way and now because of me, because of my poor choice Callie is laying in there fighting for her life! And I'm sorry!"_

 _I had in no way intended to explode right then and there at my girlfriend who was infuriating me in the hospital for everyone to hear...but the amount of guilt my mind and body was rattled with was beyond anything as I was now inconsolable as tears streamed down my face for I had failed this little girl miserably and if she didn't make it...I didn't know what I would do. I just didn't._

 _As Stef stood there shocked at my outburst for she knew that was uncharacteristic of me I walked over to the hard chairs to take a much needed seat and leaned my head against the wall. Only a few short seconds later I felt my partner sit beside me and gently grab my hand sliding it into hers._

 _"Lena, baby, I'm ..I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ..I didn't mean to say what I said in the bedroom..I should not have said that. I shouldn't have. I should not have placed blame on you or make it seem like it was all your fault. It's not your fault baby. It isn't. I made the choice to agree with you, we made that choice together and I still could have went on my own. I still could have. I mean you didn't hold a gun to my head, you didn't force me to agree with you. ...You didn't...and I'm sorry. I should not have said that to you. I know you care about Callie just as much as I do and I know you want the best for her and for her to be ok. I know that baby. I... apologize my love. I do." My eyes remained on the floor as I began to wipe the tears from my face._

 _"I mean, I guess we can't both be like me or everyone would be dead." I heard her joke as I now looked to her and smiled._

 _"There's that smile." her face softened as she gently wiped the tears from my cheeks, slowly leaning in to kiss my lips gracefully._

 _"Baby..I'm sorry I ..."_

 _"It's ok. I know you.. I know you are worried and stressed and..."_

 _"Yes but, it's no excuse. We can't afford to fight. We are on the same team and both want the same thing for her." I squeezed her hand harder as a sign that I fully agreed with her and accepted her apology. She was right as we could not afford to fight, not in the least for we had to focus on Callie, not on who was right and who was wrong. That wasn't the real issue and that wasn't the concern._

 _"Lena, what if she doesn't make it? I heard Stef's voice crack._

 _"Stef look at me honey.." she turned her face to look at me as it was filled with more pain then I could ever imagine for I knew the quick bond she had formed with Callie had...had filled her heart but now it was..breaking her in two. I myself had never seen her..I had never seen Stef so grief stricken and so shook up as long as I had known her but after hearing what she revealed to me about her past I knew why._

 _"Baby, you and I can't afford to think that way. We just can't because you and I are literally the only two people this little girl has and if we loose hope then what hope will she have left? None. If we loose hope then who will believe in her honey and who will fight for her? We can't think that way sweetheart and the best thing we can do is remain positive, and show her even more that we care, and even more that we love her. That what we need to do honey. That's what she need to see." I wiped the tears from her eyes as she slowly nodded her head at me and returned her gaze to the floor. I knew there was more brewing in her mind._

 _"Lena, she called me mama." My eyes quickly widened but for some reason I was not 100 percent shocked. A small smile fell across my face._

 _"When love?" I lowered my head down a bit to catch Stef's eyes as they glanced over to mine once again. However, I could clearly see her face was a little flustered as I rubbed her hand._

 _"In the ambulance. Although she was probably unconscious at the time or hallucinating." she joked as it was typical for her to believe that no one could see her that way. I shook my head as I placed my hand under her chin as to look directly in her soft eyes. I wish she could see what I see, and I wish she could see so clearly what Callie sees._

 _"Stef...I have a feeling she meant what she said. Even if she was in and out of consciousness...maybe that's how she sees you. I know we have only known her for a few days...but I told you love you have made a big impact on her. Especially yesterday. I honestly believe Callie has never met anyone like you before and now with all of her walls down, and with no energy left...the truth has a way of coming out honey. That little girl..she loves you. She loves you so much and I saw it clear as day yesterday when were were at the beach. I told you that. I can see it." she remained quiet turning her head to look at the ground again._

 _"Lena..what do I know about being anyone's..anyone's..." she trailed off but I quickly finished her sentence happily._

 _"Mama?"_

 _"Yeah...I mean..what would I know."_

 _"Well..maybe you know more then you think. Stef, parenting doesn't come with any kind of instruction booklet that's for sure and non of us really know what kind of parent we will really be. But I have no doubt in my mind that if you do decide to have children that you would be wonderful mother. And I'll keep telling you that honey."_

 _Observing her I could see the doubts written all over her face._

 _"Babe...are thinking about taking Callie home?" I leaned in squeezing her hand once again as I waited patiently for her to respond._

 _"I...I umm..I was but I...what if I...what if i'm horrible at it? What if I made her more miserable then she already is?"_

 _"Love, I highly doubt that." I said laughing as it did sound ridiculous even if I knew Stef was very much concerned about such a thing._

 _"Lena..I was thinking ..maybe you can take her...and I could come over after work and stay over a few nights to help."_

 _"Stef...I would love to take Callie home. I would..but it's not me she wants right now. It's not me who she needs and, it's not me she called mama whether you think she was unconscious or not. Stef...it's you honey, and those doubts you have, those fears you have of becoming your father sure they are all understandable but it's not you honey. You aren't Frank Cooper and you have to realize that honey. "_

 _I gently grabbed both of her hands as her tear stained eyes locked with mine._

 _"Listen, if you want to foster Callie I'm there for you 100 percent honey. I am. If you don't I have no issue taking her in. Non at all...but remember what I said. She wants you love, and I know deep down inside you do as well." My eyes continued to observe the indecisiveness and torn look on her face as I leaned in and kissed her cheek. Yes I would take Callie, and it was something I was going to mention to Stef about but in my minds eye, she was the one that needed to take her. They needed each other more then they realized._

 _"I love her Lena." she admitted. "I love that little girl so much." I wiped once again the tears that were falling down her cheek much more heavier then before._

 _"I know you do baby. I know that..and believe me she loves you too." Stef glanced at me yet again as she rested her head on my shoulder._

 _"She will be ok baby. She wants to be ok because she knows we are waiting for her honey. She knows." I gently kissed the top of her head as our hands remained locked together stronger then ever._

 _"I hope so baby. I hope so." Stef softly said._

* * *

 ** _*A/N Next chapter will be Stef/Cal which I'm working on now!_**


	14. Ice Cream

**Hi all! So this chapter took a few days to write and edit, but it was a joy.**

 **But just a note...I do not know much about medical conditions so please forgive me if I have made any errors in that. Either way I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Thanks! -Stef1981**

 _Neither woman had gotten so much as a wink of sleep as the late night hours slowly faded and turned into the wee hours of the early morning. The blonde cop continued to pace back and forth restlessly in the waiting room of San Diego Memorial as Lena Adams remained on hold yet again with Child Protective Services explaining for what seemed like the 100th time that Callie's social worker still had failed to show up despite the continuous and repetitive phone calls she had made throughout the night. The couple was not only exhausted but completely at their wits ends for they still had no word of Callie's condition, neither had eaten or gone home to change, and to make matters worse Mike had called saying Justina made bail. Without Callie's statement, or a witness who had seen her abuse the young girl she was free as a bird. That alone only exacerbated any rage the blonde was already feeling and she was feeling enough for the both of them._

 _"Let's just go down there! Is that what they want?! Do they want us to go down there and have me knock the damm door down and drag a case worker or social worker or whoever out myself? " Stef yelled as the brunette waved her hand gesturing for the blonde to be quiet as someone had finally picked up her call._

 _"Lena, I'm sick to damm death of you being on hold and us getting absolutely nowhere. It's not doing anything but wasting more time!"_

 _"Stef..please." she mouthed as she tried to focus on the person who had finally picked up her call. Stef rolled her eyes and continued to pace._

 _"Yes..yes I am her Vice Principle, Lena Adams, yes Officer Stefanie Foster was the arresting officer at the scene. Yes."_

 _"How many times are you going to tell them who we are?" The blonde chimed in yet again as the brunette put her finger in her other ear so she could soley focus on the woman's voice she was trying so hard to hear on the other end. The cop wasn't angry at Lena, not by any means, but it was certainly directed towards the neglectful agency that clearly had shown very little or no concern for Callie whatsoever._

 _"Well, me and my partner have been here for well over 5 hours and a social worker has still not shown. Yes...I understand, the thing is we just want to see her, we aren't saying we want to have control over her course of treatment we just want to see her and assure her that she is ok. She's very scared and she knows us. We just..." Lena continued to nod her head and soon was seen writing notes down on a pad._

 _"Ok thank you. Thank you..yes." the brunette hung up the phone and shook her head as she let out a soft sigh glancing up to the cop._

 _"They said someone named Bill is on his way shortly. Apparently Callie's files got transferred to another agency and there was some mix up between them."_

 _"Shortly when..shortly next century? I have never dealt with such incompetence in my life."_

 _"I know babe but as you know this is not unusual."Lena tried to remain calm._

 _"And so can we see her? Or are we just suppose to continue to let her be in there alone, scared to death while we wait for them to get their shit together and fix there so called mix up."_

 _'They said that..._

 _Just as Lena stood up the doctor they had pleaded with earlier to see Callie slowly walked toward them as the two women turned around hesitantly to face him._

 _Stef grabbed Lena's hand and held it for dear life as the brunette squeezed it back just as tight. Both swallowing the lumps in there throats that had formed._

 _"Ladies...I apologize for keeping you so long...just..I wish I could give you better news."_

 _Stef swallowed hard and could feel the blood boiling as she anticipated that the doctor would yet again not approve of non family members to see the young girl or know anything of her condition no matter how persistent they had been._

 _"I've seen it time and time again with CPS, and case workers not showing up, and I am really not suppose to do this but..." he hesitated as he looked around the waiting room and at the pleading faces of both women who clearly in his eyes cared dearly for this girl for they had been there for more then five hours waiting. It was true he wanted to get the cop off his back for she had already made a scene more then twice that night but he had seen many children like Callie lying in the emergency room, and lying in ICU with not one sole to care for them. Not one person to visit them, and not one person they knew. He was fully aware that Callie's condition required nurturing, required love and he could clearly see from a mile away who was going to give it to her._

 _"Since you are her Vice Principle, and you were the arresting officer, and you clearly know and care about her which is more then I can say for most people I will make this one exception just this time." he voiced sternly as both women let out the breath they had been holding in._

 _"Thank you doctor. Thank you." Stef said happily as Lena smiled and there hands remained locked together._

 _"Callie is..she's very critical. We were able to stabilize her for the time being but she's not out of the woods. Whoever did this to her, is just, is just beside me." he shook his head in defeat as a look of utter sadness and concern filled his face._

 _Both woman remained focused on his words taking in each one slowly but finding it hard to swallow._

 _"Now..she has some internal bleeding from the massive blows she's received to her which we can be certain it's been happening over a period of a few months. I'm surprised she's made it this far without a visit to the doctor."_

 _"She's a tough little girl." Stef voiced._

 _"Yes I can see. With the conditions Callie has..she should be a lot worse. She has numerous broken and fractured bones,fingers and ribs. The best we can do for that is to wrap her abdomen up and let her body lay still for a bit. The other thing we couldn't help but noticed are the bruises and burns all over her body that appear to be a few months old. Many on her legs, her back and her arms."_

 _Both women let out heavy sighs and Stef herself knew Callie certainly had other bruises that she was hiding under her long sleeve and long pants attire. She just wasn't certain how bad it was._

 _"However, the thing...that concerns me the most is the brain hemorrhaging." he stuttered._

 _"Brain hemorrhaging? Like bleeding in her brain?" Lena voiced as tears swelled in her eyes as well as in Stef's for she could her the sniffles coming from the blonde and she felt her squeeze her hand even tighter._

 _"Yes...that can be caused by a number of things but based on the gashes she has to the scalp in numerous places I'd say someone has been either hitting her head, kicking it or banging it against something. The areas are just to random for it to be anything else."_

 _By this time there was no anger like the anger the cop was feeling right now. Non. She knew if she killed Justina her life was over and there was no saving Callie then, there was no being with Lena as she still tried to rationalize the thought in her head as she knew it wasn't the answer. Lena could only stand there herself as it felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest and stomped on as each time the doctor spoke the more it stung._

 _"Now, we've stitched up the two big gashes she had in her scalp but we are continuing to watch the bleeding as we administered medication which should hopefully help it. But she still needs to be heavily monitored right now."_

 _"The ..the brain hemorrhaging will that affect her long term?" Lena asked as Stef could not bring herself to think._

 _"It can, but its much to early for us to tell. We will have to wait to see if it causes any permanent damage. Ladies, I'm sorry I couldn't bring you much better news...I wanted to."_

 _"Is...is she awake?" the blonde voiced as she wiped the tears from her face._

 _"We gave her some medication for the pain so she is resting..but you are welcome to see her."_

 _"Thank you doctor. We can't tell you how grateful we are." the curly haired woman said._

 _"I've seen a lot of foster kids come in her just like Callie half dead and no one bothers to come, visit, call or anything. Sometimes I feel like these kids are bodies with dollar signs on there heads. Its...it's a shame. But we've placed her in ICU right now if y'all follow me." As the doctor softly spoke and turned to walk towards the ICU Lena continued to grab the blondes hand expecting for her to walk. But instead she turned to see her frozen. Frozen in her tracks as hearing the news of Callie's condition almost paralyzed her with..with fear. Yes she had seen this on the job day in and day out but this was different. This was..this was someone she loved, someone she truly cared for and she wasn't sure what to do with her feelings as for the first time she was recognizing them instead of hiding them behind the tough shell she displayed on a daily basis. This was testing her._

 _Lena continued to hold the blondes hand and observe her panicked face for she was surprised but not surprised at the same time of Stef's reaction. She knew the blonde had a hard time showing this side of herself and that she wasn't fully sure how to truly handle it or at all._

 _"Love...are you ok?" she said looking into the tear stained eyes of the attractive blonde. But Stef's mind faded out slowly as she thought back to the day of the San Diego fair where they had spent almost the entire day with the injured girl. The cop realized that was the day the girl had stolen her heart._

 _ ***FLASHBACK**_

 _The day had been beautiful and crisp as the three women spent it basking in the warm sun and enjoying the fun filled fair with the other families that were walking around enjoying the events. As Lena made her way to order a handful of more tacos the blonde sat closely next to the young teen who had grown increasingly more comfortable with her in less then two hours. Callie herself had even noticed how comfortable she had become as the day continued to go on but now that she was alone with Stef she began to feel a little more nervous, as she waited for her to bring up the abuse or the story that she lied about. Stef, however, had no intention of bringing any of it up for she just wanted the teen to continue to feel comfortable and not try to run from her like she had at the school. That she did not want again for she knew there was a time and place for everything, and this wasn't the time._

 _"So Cals, what do you think of the fair my love?" the blonde asked as she sat close to the teen who was enjoying her chocolate and vanilla ice cream. However, the blonde couldn't help but notice how Callie was clearly avoiding the chocolate part and only taking small scoops of the vanilla and it was evident she didn't like chocolate ice cream. Ironically as Stef looked down at her own swirl ice cream cup she noticed how she unconsciously had been avoiding the vanilla ice cream and was only scooping out the chocolate. The coincidence put a smile on her face as she remembered Lena always ate the vanilla when they shared a cup._

 _"The fair is nice...I've never actually been to one." Callie admitted shyly._

 _"No? Yeah I haven't been to many either myself. Lena always knows about all these events and things. Before we started to date I just went to work, came home, slept and did it all over again. I was a lot more boring then.. I mean not that I'm so exciting now." she laughed taking another scoop of chocolate._

 _"I..I don't think your boring." Callie voiced shyly as she truly did not believe the blonde was boring. She liked her very much even if that scared the crap out of her._

 _"That's sweet of you to say my love. Very sweet." the blonde could only smile as she gently moved the hair that was covering Callie's face and tucked it softly behind her ear. The teens eyes hesitantly moved up to look into hers as she surprisingly smiled back at the blonde causing Stef's heart to soften even more as she tried hard not to focus on the girls bruises that were still very prevalent on her face. The two shared a moment that any mother daughter would happily share even if that didn't describe the relationship between these two, however one looking from the outside would surely think it was._

 _"So you don't like chocolate huh sweets?" Stef questioned but soon regretted as she noticed the look of panic that appeared on Callie's face which she did not intend to do ever._

 _"I um...I...was gonna eat it but..." she began to stutter almost dipping her spoon into the chocolate when Stef gently grabbed her arm softly stopping her._

 _"Cals, baby it's ok my love. I only eat the chocolate myself and just give the vanilla to Lena." the teen glanced to the blondes ice cream cup and noticed all the vanilla still remained._

 _"Oh."_

 _"Do you want mine sweets?" she offered generously._

 _"Um..." Callie now avoided Stef's gaze as she could still feel the panic in her body. She wasn't sure how to answer as the cops face remained soft. Stef soon realized very quickly by the look on the teens face that she was probably reprimanded before for not finishing her food and couldn't afford to be so picky so she quickly took her own spoon dipping it into the vanilla and held it closely to Callie's mouth._

 _"Here my baby..taste it." she offered. The teens eyes slowly looked up into Stef's warm and comforting face as the panic suddenly began to slowly fade as she again looked at the spoon filled with vanilla that the friendly cop was offering._

 _"It's ok my love take it."_

 _Callie slowly leaned in as Stef gently placed the spoon in her mouth._

 _"Taste good?" she asked as the girl smiled and nodded her head._

 _"I won't tell Lena." she winked as she continued to feed the young girl the remainder of her vanilla ice cream. But Callie soon did something that surprised them both as she looked to her melting chocolate ice cream, took a spoonful and held it out to the blonde._

 _"Do you want the rest of mine?" her eyes were big and soft as Stef's heart soon began to melt even more at the kind sweet gesture. Callie was stealing her heart and she couldn't for the life of her understand why she had not been adopted, and why she had been treated so horribly. Yes she was troubled but only because of the string of bad luck she had but besides that she was heartwarming._

 _"I've never been known to say no to chocolate ice cream." Smiling she opened her mouth as the teen began to feed her the rest of chocolate ice cream. At this moment it wasn't just the blondes heart that had opened but Callie's had as well for she found it tugging and making a small space for Stef. She also couldn't help but noticed the nicknames the blonde kept calling her and that too made her smile inside._

 _"And, Cals my love, just so you know I don't think you're boring either in case you were thinking that of yourself. I think you 're an amazing young lady, who is going to grow up to become an amazing young woman. And never let anyone tell you any different. Yes? " she encouraged as the teens eyes fell to the floor as she placed the empty cup on the table. She had never received such encouragement or, or anyone telling her she was something. That she was somebody and she wasn't sure..she wasn't sure how to accept it._

 _"Stef...do..do you have kids?" Callie found herself curiously asking as the blonde face turned to look at her softly. The teen suddenly felt bad and self conscious for she didn't realize how nosy she had become._

 _"I'm sorry..I didn't mean to be nosy..I just.."_

 _"No, no sorry honey. It's ok you can ask me anything. But, no love I don't have kids. Why do you ask honey?"_

 _"Oh..I thought you did... You...just..you seem like your a mom I mean not that I would know but you just...you seem like you would be a really nice one.." she looked down again shyly._

 _The blonde continued to stare as the young girls words warmed her heart._

 _"And, you my love, you seem like you would be an amazing daughter." Stef gently pulled the young girl in closer and wrapped her arm around her. Callie could smell the flower shampoo from the blondes hair and clothes. She had never smelled anything like it for all the foster homes she had been in the foster mothers either smelled of cigarettes and bear or were coated heavily in perfume. She hated the smell of perfume and the smell of Justina's. It was horrible and gave her a headache she thought to herself as she melted into the blondes warm and protective arms. Callie then felt something she had never felt before. She felt what she thought was the blonde kiss the side of her head softly and she closed her eyes listening to the sound of the ocean as she wondered if this was what it was like to have a mother. To have a mother that loved you, and cared for you, and...and liked you._

 _Stef herself held the young pained girl and could only squeeze her a little harder as she felt her lean more into her as she gently kissed the side of her head softly again. It was evident that Callie had truly and completely stolen her heart._

 ** _FLASHBACK ENDS_**

 _"Stef,,,honey?" the blonde came out of her memory as she quickly realized Lena was standing in front of her as they continued to stand in the ER waiting room._

 _"Yes, yes I'm fine my love..I um...I'm going to take Callie home. I..will." Stefs eyes looked to Lena's as they were still filled with tears._

 _Upon hearing this Lena's face softened even more._

 _"Then let's go. She needs us both my love." the curly haired women voiced as they continued to hold hands tighter then ever as they made there way to Callie's room and fully preparing themselves for what laid ahead._


	15. Callie Foster

**Present**

 **HI all! This chapter takes place in the present. I wanted to change the pace for a bit and bring us back into the present moment just for a bit. The past scenes are very intense so this chapter is a little lighter.**

 **(Don't worry you will get to see Callie's response from the beach scene that I wrote in the first chapter but it won't be right now) This chapter takes place a few days after that. :)-Enjoy!**

 **Just so you know Callie calls Stef, "Stefs"(it's not a typo) Just a little nickname she has given her since Stef calls her Cals. Corny I know! :)**

"Cals my love shake a leg kid! How many times do I need to call your name sweets, my cab service leaves in less then a minute!" Stef yelled from the kitchen for what seemed to be the 100th time as she needed to drive her daughter to therapy on her way to work. Every week it was a challenge and it was like pulling teeth to get her daughter to go but she knew she needed it more then anything she thought to herself as she stacked a plate full of pancakes on the teens plate. Lena Adams sat comfortably at the small kitchen dinette going through her weekend calendar and happily planning the Saturday for her and Callie as it had taken a few months for the young girl to even remotely leave Stef's side despite having really loved the curly haired women herself.

"Love! You're pancakes are gonna get cold!" the blonde yelled out again hoping that would wake the teen.

"I swear that kid once she's asleep its like waking the dead." Stef shook her head and smiled jokingly as she joined her partner at the table sipping her coffee.

"At least she's sleeping babe. Remember a couple of months ago she barely slept even an hour." Lena reminded her as she looked up from her phone smiling.

"Yeah I remember my love. Believe me I'm grateful she can sleep now even if it's in my bed. I have the bruises to prove her kicking me in the back every night with her knees." she laughed as did Lena.

"She loves her mama tiger." the brunette smiled as a look of shyness fell across the blonde's face.

"Yeah..my baby girl...she's so strong I just...she's so strong Lena. This whole court thing with Justina and having to testify to the abuse, the 3 painful months of healing and physical therapy, she's just been through so much for someone so young."

"Well, she got through it because of you honey." the brunette encouraged as she reached over to lock hands with her girlfriend gently rubbing her fingers softly.

"And you too, my love." Stef looked up to her girlfriend letting out a wink.

"Has she..has she talked about..Justina?"

"No...just things she yells out when she's having nightmares which are less thankfully but there still there. I could kill her Lena..I mean I've been saying that for the past few months but..I could really just take my hands and strangle that women to death."

"I know babe. I know me too. But she will get what she deserves now that there are other kids coming out about her and adults about her corruption. I hope it puts her away for a long time."

"Yeah, you and me both." Stef took another sip of her coffee realizing another few minutes had gone by and her daughter still had not woken up.

"This kid...I swear she avoids therapy like the plague...I have to drag her out every time." she shook her head once again putting her blue mug down as she slowly got up from the small dinette.

"So she is like her soon to be mother then? Not admitting when something is good for them." Lena voiced sarcastically as Stef rolled her yes.

"I resent that. I do no such thing." the blonde winked again as she quickly made her way into her bedroom to see the teens feet sticking out of the soft yellow comforter as she hid the rest of her body under it. Stef knew very well that Callie was fully awake for she wasn't snoring and that she was merely pretending to avoid the much needed therapy sessions she hated. The cop understood more then the teen thought for she was facing her own demons only a few of which she had shared with the teen.

"Cals, I know you're awake baby." she said sitting on the bed as she saw the teen slowly pull the covers away from her face and stuck her head out.

"Now, there's my beautiful daughter." she smiled as she noticed the frown on the girls innocent face.

"Stefs..do I have to go?"

"Yes, sweetheart you do. We talk about this every week my love."

Callie sighed blowing air out of her lips as she remained wrapped in the blonde's comforter.

"But I'm ok Stefs. I don't see how rehashing every bad thing that's happened to me is going to help.I ...I don't always want to talk about it." she said rolling over in the bed and turning away from her foster mother burying her face in Stef's pillow. It was true she didn't always want to talk about it, in fact she hated talking about it as she felt the blondes hand rub her back gently. She just wanted to enjoy her new life with her future mother and become Callie Foster. She didn't want to remember any of the life Callie Jacobs had endured, she didn't want to remember the pain, the heartache, the constant worry and fear. She just didn't.

"Baby, if anyone understands I do. I do my love. And I don't force you to go to punish you baby. Not in the least."

"But I'm ok. I really am. I'm happy for the first time in my life, I'm so happy with you and Lena, and I just...I just want to put my past behind me. I don't want to think about any of it, I don't want to think about...I don't ever want to think about Justina again ever." the teens eyes began to swell up as tears fell down her face.

"My love come here. Come face me sweetheart I need to see that beautiful face of yours."

Callie still didn't budge as she wiped the tears from her face that she was trying to hid unsuccessfully as she continued to bury her face in Stef's pillow.

"Love, turn around to face me. Please sweetheart? "the blonde pleaded once again as her daughter slowly turned around and sat up.

"My love," the cop began as she placed her hand under Callie's chin to lift it up. The teens eyes were sad and heartbroken as Stef now moved behind Callie to have the young girl rest in her arms.

"Listen my heart, and that's what you are my heart, I am glad to hear you are happy. That makes me happy and let's me know I'm doing my job. But I know its not easy to think about your past or talk about your past. I know that my love. And I know you don't want to talk about it always. But try something for me, try to think of it as a positive thing that can only help. It can only help as you grow, and change and become more of a woman. It will help our relationship and the ones you will continue to make. Sweetheart sometimes we ..we have to face our past no matter how painful it maybe. If we don't we never..we never deal with it and it can become an obstacle. So...do this for me ok? Yes?" Stef tilted her head down as the teen looked up to her with tears still streaming down her face.

"Mama..I'm scared." she confessed as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I know...I know you are honey. You've lived through very scary things, and you have been brave for a very long time." Stef wiped the tears from Callie's soft cheeks as the teen continued to look up into her face.

"But what you have to remember is I am here for you through all of this. Through every single step just as I told you when you were in ICU a few months ago. Do you remember?" the blonde questioned in a somewhat stern tone.

"Yes, I remember." Callie nodded as she clearly remembered as that was the first time she had fallen asleep on the blonde.

"Good because I will always always remind you. Lena and I will forever be there for you Callie Foster. And I don't need a piece of paper to call you that either." She winked as the teen continued to smile widely at her soon to be mother.

"Me either."

Stef gently placed a kiss on the young girls forehead as smiles still remained on there faces.

"Now, lets say we get dressed Lena has a big day planned for you my love. Hope you like strawberry picking."

"You have to work?" Callie wined as she just noticed her foster mother dressed in uniform.

"Unfortunately I do sweets. Duty calls even on Saturdays. But...when I get off I'll meet you guys, we'll go grab some dinner and watch a movie. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good." the teen smiled as she wrapped her arms around Stef.

"I love you mama. I love you so much." Callie buried her face in the blondes chest as Stef gently rubbed the side of her face as the young girl only continued to warm her heart.

"Cals...I love you too my little girl. I love you so much. You have no idea." the blonde held her daughter closer then ever as she just wanted to give her the life she so deserved.


	16. Your New Life

**Hi all! Again thanks for all your reviews! As I go deeper and deeper into the story I will be adding a few more story lines to create dimension within the characters. Of course the story is still mainly about Callie and Stef but there will be a few chapters were it goes into how Lena and Stef met, Stefs past and a few other things, good and bad things that have happened when Callie was little, etc.**

 **I'm glad you are enjoying it as that makes me so happy!**

 **-Stef1981**

 _It had been almost three weeks since Callie's admittance into the ICU from the life threatening injuries she sustained as a direct result from the abuse caused by her ex foster mot_ _her, Justina Marks who still remained out on bail. As the days and weeks continued to fly by, with Callie's condition slowly improving, both Stef and Lena had been fully committed to be by her side and attend to her every need with the blonde even taking a leave of absence from work. Day in and day out both women assisted with changing her bandages that held her ribs in place, they each held her hands gently as new IV's and blood test were administered, they soothed and calmed her when she awoke from nightmares which was very often, and they spoke daily with the doctor to hear of any decline or improvement in her condition. To the relief of everyone the internal bleeding and brain hemorrhaging had ceased, her wounds and scars were healing, and they were hopeful that within a few months she would make a full recovery. However, she would need a tremendous amount of physical therapy and the doctor warned that seizures were not out of the question for it could happen at anytime as a result of her brain trauma._

 _Throughout the weeks and the very painful process of worry and anxiety that filled both women daily in terms of the young girls improvement, Callie herself couldn't help but notice how neither Stef or Lena ever left her side. She observed how they were there every single second of the day and how they...how they cared and she was finding it hard not to fall in love with both of them. She was also finding it increasingly difficult to push away the special bond she felt grow daily, especially towards Stef for it was no secret to Lena, to Mike, to Callie or to the hospital staff how much the blonde loved the teen and how much comfort the teen sought in the cop. Of course Lena loved her just as much, and cared for her just as much but the interaction between the blonde and the young brunette spoke volumes as almost instinctively Stef became...became maternal and took on the role that she would fill very soon in the near future. The role of a mother who would do anything humanly possible for their child for_ _it was Stef who refused to go home, it was Stef who felt and saw every single movement the young girl made as she slept. It was Stef who slept next to her every night in the most uncomfortable chair anyone could imagine and it was Stef who continued to loose countless hours of sleep. Despite the constant begging from Lena for her to go home and rest and explaining they could simply watch Callie in shifts, Stef refused to leave the young girl for a single moment. Lena understood this very well more then anyone as she made countless trips back and forth from home to the hospital to bring the blonde a change of clothes, food, coffee, books and DVDS._

 _However,_ _the blonde eventually did need to leave Callie for a few hours a week for_ _after speaking with the teens social worker who had finally shown up a day after her admittance, she learned that the process of becoming a foster parent could take nearly three months. That news alone was somewhat dis-concerning for neither woman wanted Callie to be placed in another home before Stefs for she needed a special amount of care and nurturing which not all foster parents were willing to do. Stef being the ambitious person she was jumped on the process as fast as she could fully knowing she would need to leave Callie for a few hours out of the week to attend parenting classes, meetings, obtain letters of recommendation from friends, take a few cooking classes as her fridge was nearly empty and the last thing she had cooked was a can of soup, and adhere to any other requirements she needed to obtain for her license._ _She also needed to decorate the second bedroom in her apartment that had remained empty for the last year. Fortunately with the help of Lena and her many trips to Ikea, Crate and Barrel and every other place the cop never visited it was coming along beautifully. Course they had no clue what Callie's taste was but they could only guess as they tried to make it as inviting as possible picking out pretty shades of blues, images of the beach and ocean, and a picture of the three of them from the fair. Mike himself had also been a terrific help by overseeing Stef's apartment to ensure it would thoroughly pass an inspection from CPS. He attended to the small things that had gone unfixed such as the running toilet, and also installed a few more smoke detectors, a carbon monoxide detector, two fire extinguishers, and a handicapped bar in the shower for when Callie arrived home in case she would need it. Mike had also written a letter of recommendation and had been responsible for collecting the many written by Stef's friends at the precinct including her boss to mail to social services. Everything was moving along, paperwork had been filed, leaving just the interview which was scheduled a month away._

 _As the blonde thought about all she had done in the last three weeks to prepare for Callie she realized it would be a big change in her life and a big change in Callie's as well. This change wasn't like getting a pet, or starting a new job, this was this was very different. She had to trust herself, she had to trust her instincts, she had to rely on people which was new for her, she had to change her shifts at work, she had to make sure Callie was registered at school and could attend Anchor Beach, and she would have to send her to therapy and physical therapy, and she would love to find activities for the young girl to explore. There was a ton of responsibilities on her plate as it was no longer just her, she would now be responsible for another human being and she wasn't 100 percent sure how good she would be. But she knew she would try her best and give Callie the kind of home she needed until a permanent one could be found for her. Nonetheless she still had yet to tell the teen of her plans to foster her._

 _Glancing sleepily at her watch and realizing it was passed 3am the cop laid back in the hard and uncomfortable chair of Callie's room in the ICU. Lena had left a few hours ago for she had an early board meeting to attend and Stef demanded she go home as there was no use for both of them to be sleep deprived. The brunette remained hesitant and hated to leave Stef alone most nights with no proper bed but the blonde was adamant and never lost a fight. The curly haired woman finally agreed insisting she would stay over once again on the weekends._

 _As Stef continued to softly rub Callie's fragile hands and forth like she did every night while reading a book on parenting foster children her eyes were now burning from being open so long. Slowly she closed the book, moved her chair up so that her hand would still remain intact with Callie's, and leaned her head back. Gradually she began to close her eyes hoping she could get a few moments of rest only hearing the beeping from Callie's monitors, her quiet breathing and the faint voices of the staff outside her room. It was then she began to fade._

 _Callie herself was in and out of sleep as she continued to dream, weird dreams that she couldn't wake up from and nightmares that she couldn't distinguish from reality as her eyes opened and slowly fell closed again. She knew Stef was there guarding her, but she didn't want to sleep, when she slept she saw Justina, when she slept she felt the pain, when she slept she woke up panicking, when she slept her past replayed in her mind over and over as she relieved all the beatings she had gotten. She didn't want to dream anymore, no more and she was trying to fight the medication as her body quickly jerked._

 _"Callie my love are you ok?" Stef whispered as she felt the teen move slowly around in the bed. She knew Callie had a habit of resisting sleep and she knew she was afraid of sleeping._

 _"I...I can't..I can't sleep." she admitted as her throat continued to feel dry and sore._

 _The blonde opened her eyes slowly getting up from her chair and sitting next to the frightened teen like she did every night._

 _"Whats the matter baby? I'm right here with you." she softly spoke as she began to rub the side of the girls face as Callie looked into her eyes and held her hand softly._

 _"I...I don't want to dream Stef. I'm scared." the teen acknowledge as tears began to stream down her soft face that were once swollen and covered with bruises._

 _"Do you want to lay on me?" Stef asked as she did not want to push the girl but as the teen looked back into her eyes she could see the answer was yes._

 _With that silent yes the blonde smiled as she gently moved closer to Callie as she now sat next to her and the young girl found herself in the blondes arms._ _Callie was hesitant and a tiny bit resistant for this was still very new for her and she still had a difficult time trusting it. She didn't want to trust it for she knew once she was out the hospital there was no telling where she would go and she knew once again she would be alone. But as hard as she tried to fight it the blondes arms were protective and warm and she smelled the vanilla scent she had smelled the day of the fair._

 _"Lean back its ok honey I got you." she whispered as Callie slowly melted into her arms and Stef now kissed the top of her head gently._

 _"Do you want to tell me about your dreams my love?"_

 _"No, no.." Callie almost responded immediately as Stef could feel the sudden tension in the teens body._

 _"Ok baby you don't have to. You don't have to at all sweetheart. We can just lay here and listen to the rain... You know rain is my favorite sound. Silly I know but even as a little girl I loved it. The sound it made when it hit the ground, or the side of the window in the middle of the night. I always found it...found it calming."_

 _The young teen remained nestled in the blondes arms as she listened to Stef's soft voice._

 _"What's your favorite sound baby?" she inquired._

 _The teen thought for a moment and could only think of the sounds she hated. High heels walking across a wood floor, gunshots, the sound of her face when it hit the floor, thunder, the sound the door makes when it's being locked, screams, cries, yelling. They all put the fear of god in her as she couldn't think at this moment of any she liked or sought comfort in._

 _"MM I don't have one." she admitted._

 _"That's ok maybe you haven't found one yet." she once again kissed the top of the girls head softly._

 _"Stef.?"_

 _"Yeah honey?"_

 _"I dreamt of...one of my foster mothers." Callie found herself surprisingly admitting as the blondes ears perked up instantly as she had trying for a few days to get her to talk about her nightmares or her past, but she was finding it was much too early or she needed to approach it in a less confrontational way._

 _"Yeah baby...which one?"_

 _"MM...before moving here ..I lived with I lived with this woman and I a foster sister." The teen began very slowly as t_ _he blonde gently stroked the girls hands that remained locked in hers as she waited patiently for Callie to continue to open up._

 _"MM hmm." Stef responded._

 _"My foster sister, Lisa, we were.. we were really close and...and she was 7. She was like my little sister..almost. And...Gisella ..our foster mother would...she would starve us most nights, or makes us watch her eat. Or, she would pick one of us that could eat that night and promise that we would both eat and then she would throw the food out and let us starve..." the teen gulped as_ _Stef swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and she could feel her stomach get sick. The cop in her wanted to arrest each and every single foster parent that ever wronged any child. But the soon to be foster mother remained calm as she leaned her head on top of Callie's as she prepared herself for what the teen would admit about her past._

 _"One night...Lisa was crying. She was crying so hard...and...she was so hungry. ..Gisella would lock up the fridge at night and hide all the snacks and dry foods in her room in a pantry she kept locked and a cooler she locked also. But ..I knew she had crackers in her purse...and one night she passed out drunk on the couch and..her purse was on the table. I..I snuck out of the room because she forgot to lock us in and I took one cracker. Only one..and I ran back to the room and fed it to Lisa as quick as I could. And she ate it fast. She ate it so fast and...a few moments later Gisella busted in and...I tired so hard to protect Lisa...Stef.. I..." Callie began to hysterically cry as she was now inconsolable as Stef held her harder._

 _"Baby it's ok..it's ok..I know you of all people, you would protect anyone. You would protect anyone baby. It's ok my love it's ok."_

 _"I couldn't save her. I tried so hard...She beat me..she beat me..and she beat Lisa and..." she trailed off looking into Stefs eyes as hers were streaming with tears as the blonde continued to hold her even harder._

 _"It's ok honey...It's ok my love. You can tell me. You can tell me honey." the blonde soothed as she began to cry herself._

 _"I..I tried to run..I tried to get help but...it was too late and...she left me outside. She left me outside and told me it was my fault. That it was all my fault and...that I deserved all the pain I got. That I would always be in pain, that no one would love me, or want me or...care what happened to me ever. That Lisa died because of me." Callie continued to sob harder and harder burying her face in Stef's chest._

 _"Oh baby. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry that happened to you. I am so sorry my love." she rocked the young hurt teen back and forth as Callie could do nothing but cry years of guilt away._

 _"Non of that is true. Non of it honey not one single world of that is true. Listen.." she placed her hand under Callie's chin as the teens innocent and saddened eyes looked into hers still screaming as she began to sniffle and the blonde wiped her nose with a tissue._

 _"Lisa didn't die because of you baby. Not in anyway my love. She died because the woman who had her was a horrible person who should never have been able to foster or have her own children. You cared about Lisa, you loved her, and I'm sure she knew that. I'm sure did honey and you can't blame yourself and I wont let you. I won't let you at all. You were a child baby. You were and there should have been someone there to protect you. To get you out of that horrible place. I'm...just so sorry my baby. I'm so sorry you had to go through that." The blonde tried to convince as she saw the pain and guilt overtake Callie's eyes even more._

 _"But it's true..Stef. It's why...its why all this stuff has happened to me and why no one loves me or...I'm such a waste...I'm a terrible human and I'm the one who deserved to die!"_

 _With this the blonde grabbed Callie as gently and as sternly as possible for nothing she said was true. Nothing and she wanted to make sure she believed that. That she believed her words._

 _"Hey...stop right there...stop right there my love." She placed her hand on Callie's cheek and gently moved her face up to look into her hurt eyes. Yes the words Callie was saying were hurting her for she couldn't believe how much, how much the young girl disliked herself and how much she had gone through and the horrible words that people who were suppose to care for her had told her._

 _"My sweet baby, one thing you need to understand, one thing your truly need to understand is that Lena and I love you. We love you so so much honey and it wasn't hard to fall in love with you. Not in the least. You...We love you more then we could ever imagine and no, you never ever deserved any of those things that happened to you. None of them not one single thing. And no, you do not deserve to die, and it pains me so much to hear you say that, or hear you think that about yourself my love." The blonde said as tears rolled down her cheek and she began to wipe them. Callie was trying hard to listen and trying to believe what the blonde was saying but it was difficult. It was more difficult then she could imagine for there were many other things that had happened which she never had any intention of telling anyone._

 _"Callie you are...you are an amazing and strong little girl and the one thing I am going to promise you is that I will make sure non of those things ever happen to you ever again. Because I'm going to take care of you until we can find a permanent home for you."_

 _With this Callie's eyes grew wide as she wasn't sure what Stef was saying to her as her eyebrows furrowed as she looked confused at the blonde._

 _"Callie...I...I have applied to be your foster mother." she smiled as she still rubbed the girls soft face and wiped her tears away._

 _"You...you want to be my foster mother?" The teen asked as she swallowed hard as she wasn't sure if this was a trick of some sort._

 _"Yes..if that's ok with you? I just...Lena and I want the best for you, and I have an extra bedroom and I would...I would love to have you stay with me. I could use the company too." she winked as Callie let out a soft shy smile._

 _"Really? I..won't be in the way?" the girl questioned._

 _"No sweetheart. Not in the least. Not one bit." she said leaning in to kiss her forehead as the teen nodded._

 _"But listen my love, I want you to know that I will be here for you, every single step of this. Every single one no matter what happens, no matter how bad things may get or how good they will get I will never leave you. You here me? I..I know it's scary for you to trust, and I know it's scary for you to be believe me, very scary but I wouldn't lie to you. Not one bit. I wouldn't. Yes?"_

 _Callie took her words in slowly as she tried to stay away from fear of moving in with Stef. She did love her very much even as that thought still scared her for maybe once she did move in with her Stef would change. Maybe she would...maybe she would begin to show who she really was? Maybe she would start to hit her, maybe she would start to scream at her. Maybe..she.._

 _"Love?" the blonde asked as she saw the look of worry and fear on the girls face as Callie's eyes glanced into hers._

 _"You have nothing to be afraid of. Come rest in my arms you need to sleep. We both do."_

 _Callie swallowed hard as she once again hesitantly leaned into Stef's arms as the woman rubbed her face to comfort her._

 _"It's ok honey close your eyes. If you have another bad dream I'll be right here. I'm not leaving you."_

 _"I'm scared...I'mmm" the teen began to sob yet again as the blonde held her tighter and began to sing softly in her ear and_ _upon hearing her voice Callie soon faded to sleep in Stef's arms. This was the sound she loved._


	17. You Can Trust Us

**Hi all! Here is a little chapter with some Callie/Lena bonding. A small one beginning to form. Enjoy!-Stef1981**

 _LENA POV_

 _"I just hope she likes it. That she likes her room, that my place is ok, that the laptop we got her is ok.. I'm... I'm so nervous. I'm.. never nervous. I'm so damm nervous I can barely stand myself for Christ sake." Stef stuttered as I sat calmly next to her at San Diego Memorial waiting for Callie's discharge papers. It was true, I knew my partner was nervous more nervous then I had ever seen her before but I knew she just wanted everything to be perfect for Callie as it had been a long and exhausting six weeks. Very long and I also was well aware she was running on fumes, we both were but I knew hers were even lower then mine. Even if the past few weeks had completely drained us we were in some way grateful that Callie's stay in the hospital was much longer then anticipated for it had given Stef enough time to get her foster care license. With the help of Mike, and Callie's new case worker who fortunately had been very supportive, my partner had qualified in a month. The day we received the certificate in the mail I saw tears swell in her eyes that sensitive side came out, the side I loved to see more then anything and the side she showed more and more to Callie each and everyday. The agency had informed us that they had received such an overwhelming amount of support for her and even if she didn't have much family to vouch for her, nor any prior parental experience, they agreed she would be well situated to take care of Callie. That came as a relief to both of us for now that she was officially Callie's foster mother the hospital had granted her full permission to handle Callie's medical decisions in which we were both able to make better choices for her recovery and treatment options. In addition to the physical therapy and regular therapy sessions we were only hoping it would speed her recovery process for she was already making a very successful one. In my honest opinion an angel had truly been on her side all of this time and that very angel was sitting right next to me as nervous as could be._

 _"Lena..what if we freak her out since we are lesbians?" My partner asked as she turned to look at me as she was legitimately serious with her question and all I could do was let out a laugh._

 _"Stef.., honey..I don't think that's an issue for her. I think it's the least of her worries to be honest... And you have to relax babe I'm sure she will like everything and I'm positive it will be fine. Stop worrying so much honey." I said as I slid my hand into hers as it shook and she looked to the floor. I continued to rub it gently trying to soothe her nerves._

 _"Baby..what if she hates the clothes? What if they don't fit, what if I fuck up..what if..." she began again but I cut her off immediately this time as I now placed my hands on her face and she turned to glance in my eyes._

 _"Stef...honey you won't. How could you? From what I've seen Callie loves you, and she trusts you and that's...that's not easy. It's not easy for what someone like her as been through to trust someone. It's just not love." I said sternly trying to knock some sense into my frantic girlfriend._

 _"Love, the hard part is over. You got your license without any headaches, Callie's is out of woods, and..she is safe. Probably for the first time in her life."_

 _"That's true...but Lena the last time I checked I was just a cop who loved hanging out with her girlfriend...How did she get my heart. When?" Stef laughed._

 _"Mmm probably at the fair. Or maybe when you saw how much pain she was in that time you brought her to my office. You've been invested in her from day one honey and I could see it in your face how taken you were by her... And your heart just tugged, and ached for her. Sometimes people find us honey, and we met Callie for a reason, you met Callie for a reason, and she trust you for a reason. She sees something in you that she hasn't seen in anyone honey. That little girl knows y'all fight for her and you have proven it."_

 _"She know's ya'll fight for her too baby." she said squeezing my hand. "And that's another reason I love you. Your'e support can't ever be matched by anyone babe." she leaned in an kissed my lips softly as I gently kissed her back letting out a childlike smile._

 _"I would fight anytime, anywhere for her..even if it's in a less confrontational and less intimidating approach then you. " I laughed as did my partner._

 _"I love you just how you are Lena Adams. Never forget that." she said now kissing my cheek and as I glanced behind her I could see the nurse wheeling Callie over towards us as the teens face seemed to light up when she saw the both of us sitting there waiting for her. It was almost as if she was surprised and almost like she didn't expect us to be there even if we had assured her we very well would be. Looking joyfully at her sweet innocent face and big brown eyes I couldn't help but let out a wide smile as her expression was both heartwarming, and freeing. I also couldn't help but notice how so_ full of life her face had which was such a stark contrast to before when it looked as if all of it had been sucked out of her. _The panic, that had filled her body so much seemed to have subsided, her hair had its color back and had grown from where they had shaved her scalp to control the brain hemorrhaging. Her face had healed as well for not one bruise was in site. Her fingers, they were mobile and no longer in a caste. Of course I had seen Callie everyday since her admittance but to see her out of that room and in her own clothes that seemed to fit her beautifully was such a difference. It could only get better from here as I felt a tear fall down my cheek._

 _I glanced back to my girlfriend who had yet to notice the young girl's presence I whispered softly to her._

 _"Someone is here for you." I said softly as Stefs eyes widened and she turned around to see Callie and it was then the young girls face lit up brighter then anything I had ever seen. I could sense she wanted to run out of her chair and hug my partner more then anything. I knew it very well and could see it clearly on her glowing face. Stef quickly got up and kneeled down next to the young girl as I watched the warm exchange between the two and could only smile my widest._

 _"Hi.. Stef." Callie voiced looking directly into my partners eyes as Stef pulled her in for hug. The young girl rested her face on my partners shoulder as she hugged her harder and I continued to smile as my eyes began to blur from the tears that were forming._

 _"Hi my love. How's my beautiful girl feeling? You're beautiful my love. Like a rose." she gently rubbed the teens face softly._

 _"I'm ok." Callie smiled widely as I walked closer and knelled down on the opposite side of her._

 _"Hi sweetheart... We're so happy to see you." I gently rubbed her other hand as her innocent eyes glanced into mine shyly._

 _"Hi Lena." her voice remained light and soft as Stef kissed the side of her face lovingly._

 _"I'm happy to see you too." she admitted as she continued to melt my heart and I look to my partner to see her eyes tearing._

 _"Mrs. Foster I just have a few more papers for you to sign. Then you're welcome to leave." The nurse said who we had completely forgotten was standing there patiently waiting._

 _"Sure. Of course."_

 _"My love..stay here with Lena..Ill be right back ok?." Stef gently placed a kiss on Callie's forehead as the teen nodded in response. It was then my partner looked to me letting out a wink letting me know it was my turn to comfort Callie. It was true I wanted to be just as close with the young girl for I too loved her very much as well, and we just needed much more time together to get to know each other more, and Stef was more then willing to let us have that time as she encouraged it._

 _As the young teen sat looking in the direction of my partner I gently rubbed her hand._

 _"Callie honey...I want you to know something." I began as the young teen turned to observe my face as a look of panic filled her young face._

 _"Am I...am I in trouble?" she swallowed hard as I furrowed my eyebrows as I felt her hand turn tense._

 _"No...no nothing like that at all honey. Not in the least... I just want you to know that...I want you to know that Stef and I love you so much and that you have brought so much love into our lives in the last two months. More then anyone ever has. We, want you to know that the both of us will do our absolute best to take care of you, to make sure you have everything you need, to make sure you are happy, healthy and that you continue to heal, that you continue to be happy and find happiness. We know...we know its been a long long road for you, a painful long road and we will try our hardest to make it much easier for you. You...you just concentrate on being a kid, and living life. Learning how to live life. Ok?" I said as gently and calmly as possible as I could see the doubt in her face._

 _"I know its hard to trust people. I know it's scary...but the both of us will only continue to be there for you just like we have been honey. I will be there for you anytime at home and at school. Anything you need you tell us, anything is bothering you come talk to us, anything and we will always come up with a solution and support you. It's, its important for you to know that we would never hurt you physically, emotionally or verbally. Ever. Ok honey?" I softly rubbed her hand yet again as I felt it loosen and looked down to see her hold it. Callie had never held my hand...yes I had held hers many times through the last few weeks but she had never reciprocated it ever. She now squeezed it gently and my eyes continued to water as I looked up into her brown eyes that had seen such horrible days, and years. I hoped to god that we could erase some of that and fill her life with the happiness she deserved so much. That was our goal until she found a permanent home. But part of me...part of me didn't want Stef to just foster her. I was already feeling Callie was ours, and I was wondering if my partner was feeling the same. She had stolen my heart as well._

 _As I wiped my tears now I saw Callie's eyes were watering as well as she continued to look at me and smile._

 _"Thank you for the clothes...I can...I can pay you back...if..."_

 _"No Callie. Those are yours. Stef and I don't want your money... Do they fit ok? Not to tight not to loose.?"_

 _"They fit fine...I like ..I like them." she admitted shyly as I smiled wide._

 _"Stef likes plaid and couldn't resist." I laughed._

 _"I like plaid too...and I always wanted a pair of converse but...I know they were expensive and..." she began again with the offer to pay as I shook my head._

 _"Honey...do they fit?"_

 _"Yes." she nodded._

 _"Do you like them? The color and everything, we can get you something different if you like."_

 _"No...I like them...blue is my favorite color...Thank you...thank you Lena. I like you." she looked up again at me._

 _"I like you too honey. I like you very much."_

 _"You're...you're so nice."_

 _"You're nice too Callie, and you want to know something else?"_

 _Callie continued to observe and soak in every word I spoke to her._

 _"You truly are the bravest little girl I know, a very brave one. Your're out little super girl." The teen could only continue to beam and I could only hope my words meant something to her, that she would one day believe them as her face, her sweet innocent face and gentle hold on my hand continued to melt my heart more and more as each second went by. Gently and graciously I rubbed the side of her face and leaned in to kiss her forehead softly. The sweet moment we shared I hoped would be one of many as I glanced behind her noticing Stef smiling widely at our exchange. I then nodded indicating it was ok to come over as she slowly approached us and gently ran her fingers through Callie's soft hair._

 _"Ready to go home baby girl?" she said as the teen looked up happily to her._

 _"Yeah..I think I am." As Stef softly kissed the top of her head I stood up and the both of us exchanged smiles with one another. Slowly we began to wheel Callie out as we were fully ready to take her home._


	18. Home

_CALLIE POV_

 _I knew nothing about a home. Not one single thing for I had never had one and to be honest I never had much of anything for I had been a foster kids my entire life. I never owned a piece of clothing that I could consider mine, I never owned a stuffed animal, a piece of jewelry. Nothing. If I thought to much about it I'd only pity myself which I didn't want to ever do. Ever in life. I never wanted to be down on myself either regardless of all the terrible things that had happened to me. But I did know that both my mind,body and soul were completely exhausted and strung out from the constant 15 year battle I had with life since the day I was born. I never met my mother or father for I had learned they both had given up there parental rights long before I could even talk. Of course I had thought about them from time to time what they looked like, how they sounded, what they liked or didn't like. What I inherited form them and mostly why they had given me up. Maybe...they were teenagers, maybe I was an accident, or maybe they just took one look at me and decided I wasn't worth there time. That's how most people looked at me as each and every home I ever remember being in I was dismissed, or just another body to feed and another burden. Or for most another paycheck. I learned early on not to ever ask for anything, never to ask for seconds, never to ask to hold anyone's hand, never ever to ask questions, never to seek comfort, and never to say I was sick for that was another nuisance. I never made friends for I moved around so much it was just to painful to keep reintroducing myself as the awkward foster kid. Most kids didn't want to bother with me for I often wore rags to school and sometimes smelled. Soon I just learned to blend in and hoped no one would see me. I was quiet, withdrawn and just tried to get from day to day without incident. There was however one foster family, the Jamesons, who claimed they loved me and I had lived with them for barely one month. I assumed they meant it, I wanted them to mean it even if they weren't the forever family I had picture. But they repeatedly said they loved me more then anything and they wanted to adopt me and my younger foster sister Libby. Soon after they explained our adoptions were underway they moved us to San Diego from Michigan and things changed almost instantly. They had changed so fast I barely blinked before they explained they no longer wanted me. That they could only afford one child and I was just too old with too much baggage for them to handle. That I was just too much work. A few days later a social worker came to get me and just like that I was back in the system. They never said bye, they didn't let me take a thing and I never heard another word from them. In my mind I had just wondered how much more pain I could feel. How much more I could take. I didn't think much until I was placed in another abusive home and the cycle just continued as my life repetitively seemed to blur and blur and blur until all of my foster parents blended into one person with all of them being basically the same and I had given up. But maybe I had not truly given up for when I laying on that floor in Justina's bathroom basically dying a part of me must have wanted to live, a part of me must have trusted Stef for I called her. I had called her and she had come. She had come and I remember laying on the cold floor as I looked into her eyes. Her eyes which I could barely see but I heard her voice. I heard her voice tell me it wasn't time for me to go, that I needed to be strong, that she would be strong for the both of us. That I was somebody and always would be. It was her voice telling me this countless times during the last two months and since the day I met her. She was the one person that did not blend into the array of previous foster parents I had. Neither her or Lena._

 _"Cals baby are you ready to go inside?" I suddenly came out of my mind hearing Stef speak to me as the three of us stood outside her apartment door that I had yet go in. Mainly from fear._

 _"Um...sorry...yes.." I apologized as I looked to the floor._

 _"No apology necessary." she said reassuring me as I stood with one hand holding my cane and the other wrapped around her arm as Lena held the door open for the both of us. But I felt frozen, for I didn't know what would happen once I went inside. Would things change, would...Stef..would Stef change, would she begin to beat me, would she starve me, would she loose patience, would she kick me, would she call me names. Would she tell me I was too much work, would she say I had too much baggage? Would everything change for I couldn't be this lucky. I had never been lucky in my life and it had never found me. I only knew..I only knew the worst and I couldn't help but think she was faking all this time...I knew she was getting money for me now but I knew it wasn't much and maybe she would find out and that would anger her..I would need to get a job..I'd need to pay my way and lay low and blend in and..._

 _"Cal..you coming?" My eyes moved up as heard Lena gently speaking to me as the both of them must have known how worried I was. I swallowed hard as I could feel my body begin to tighten._

 _"I..."..I stuttered as Stef leaned in closer to me and gently moved my hair from my face just as she always did tucking it behind my ear._

 _"Cals..nothing changes honey. Nothing at all. Just because you are living with me doesn't mean I will start to hurt you, or mistreat you. Neither of us will. This...this is your home too. Yes?" My eyes darted between both women as they equally looked concerned but expressed nothing but patience and understanding which was still hard for me to understand. At times they were still very hard for me to understand for I just didn't know how long they could put up this act. I had already foolishly fallen in love with both of them and it was hard not to feel that way. Very hard._

 _"Sweetheart if you're not ready to go inside we can..we can just drive around, or go eat some lunch or take a walk on the boardwalk. There's no rush... But we do have to admit we would love to show you your room." Lena said softly._

 _"My...room?" I still wasn't sure if they were serious or if they were joking._

 _"I...I don't understand...the couch is.."_

 _"Couch? No love...your are most certainly not sleeping on the couch. Why don't we go check it out and if your still nervous we can leave and go do something else. Do you want to try that? Stef said patiently as she held my hand softly._

 _I breathed heavy and let out a sigh I blew air through my lips._

 _"We can just have a look, put your things away and then we can leave right away if you want. No pressure honey." Lena assured._

 _"O...Ok." I nodded my head as I could feel the fear take over my body and my stomach begin to cramp up. I knew it wasn't the on and off again pain from my ribs. It was the nerves. The nerves has me hostage. Slowly I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath as I blew air through my mouth as I felt Stef gently guide me through the door. However, as soon as I heard Lena slowly close the door behind me and lock it the panic surfaced even more as I looked toward her and began to breath heavier. There was really no where to go...I knew they would lock me inside I knew.._

 _"Cals..it's ok sweetheart...you aren't locked in. You can come over and unlock this anytime. No one is trapping you sweets. Ok?" I glanced up to Stef's eyes again as hers remained soft and gentle._

 _I nodded my head. "Ok."_

 _"You think you can walk without your cane Cal. It's a short distance to the bedroom." Lena asked as she approached my side._

 _"Maybe yes.."_

 _As they both held each of my hands and I tried to relax a little I couldn't help but notice how much I loved the smell of Stef's apartment. It smelled just like her and it was bright and sunny as her walls were painted a faint yellow. Her place was filled with pretty decorated vases, fancy arrays of pillows, soft comfortable area rugs, and pictures hanging up of her and Lena, and some with friends I assumed. It felt...it felt comfortable._

 _"Here's your room honey." Lena said motioning for me to go in as I looked up to Stef again as she smiled encouraging me to go in. As I turned the corner to the bedroom and looked in.. it was not how I imagined it to be. Not one bit for I had had many rooms, a few were I slept in a corner on a mattress or a blanket, some I slept on a beat up lumpy couch, yes I had my own room at Justina's but she made it clear it wasn't really mine and that she could kick me out of it at anytime and let some other more important kid have it. She had decorated it with lace and pink and a heavy scent of perfume that I hated always filled the air. I was never allowed to sleep under the covers for she said I would mess it up and she made me sleep on top and the lace always scratched my skin. There were no photos and she had strange plants hanging in the corners that I hated. I hated that room... I hated it more then anything...but this...this was nothing like that. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. The walls were painted a light blue which reminded me of the ocean and had imprints of shells and seahorses. The walls were filled with beautiful photos of the ocean, beaches and sunsets. and there was even a small picture of me, Stef and Lena from the fair on a tiny teal nightstand. Shadowboxes also hung on the wall with seashells decorating it inside and to the right of the doorway was a pretty teal dresser with more photos on top and lamp with elegant tones of purples and shades of green. Above that were letters pinned to the wall that spelled out "Callie's Room."_

 _"Go on in baby." I glanced up to Stef as her hand remained on my shoulder and she smiled warmly at me and I proceeded to further walk in._

 _"We weren't sure what colors you would like or your taste but we knew you loved the beach. I hope we didn't overdo it.." Lena said happily as I remained speechless for ...I couldn't believe all they had done for me._

 _As walked over to the window I couldn't help but touch the pretty light green curtains that felt soft. I also noticed noticed a small charm with some sort of feathers hanging from the window but I couldn't make out what it was._

 _"It's a dreamcatcher Cals. They are suppose to deliver good dreams." I heard Stef say as I looked back to her and nodded my head._

 _A few moments later my eyes fell to the desk that was placed next to the window and had small figurines stationary, pens, pencils and...and a computer on it. I swallowed hard once again as the bed that laid against the opposite wall was filled with an assortment of colorful pillows, a stuffed whale, and a stripped blue comforter. The matching teal nightstand that I had noticed earlier I could now see up close and it had a picture of me as a kid on it. But where...Where had they gotten that?_

 _"It was in one of your very early files. Bill thought you might like it." Stef must have noticed my confusion as she once again answered a question I had never asked._

 _As my eyes continued to move around the room and I still had not uttered one word I noticed the last corner was decorated with a beautiful chair, matching Ottoman and mini bookcase that stood next to it. A few more pictures were placed inside of it with different beaches around the world._

 _"I've traveled to a few of those places with my parents when I was young so I figured Id' frame them for you. You can take them down if you hate them." Lena said as I glanced to look up at her. But I had no intention of moving anything. Not one thing._

 _As I stood there frozen...I...I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to feel as this room was...was me. Even if I didn't know who I was. I could only feel water fill my eyes and as I looked back to both women who were holding hands...I looked right in Stef's eyes and I began to cry in the middle of the room._

 _"Aww honey what's wrong sweetheart?" She said as I felt them both walk over and Stef pulled me in for a hug as I cried in her arms and held her tight._

 _"It's ok baby...it's ok..whats wrong love?" She rubbed the side of my face softly._

 _"Do you hate it? It's the color isn't it? Too much blue? I overdid it?" Lena asked as I could hear worry in her voice and I pulled away from Stef and looked at her almost laughing a little._

 _"No...no I don't hate it at all...I just...I .I love it so much and ..." I trailed off not knowing how to finish as I wiped my tears and shook my head._

 _"No one has ever...no one has ever done anything like this for me...and you have been so nice to me since the day I met you both and I don't know what...I don't know how to feel. I'm...scared...but.." I admitted as I remained in Stef's arms as she had them wrapped around me and I continued to face Lena._

 _"Callie, maybe you just never met the right people and sometimes that can happen in life. It can...because we would do this for you over and over again and we will continue to do even more for you. Just as I told you in the hospital and I'm sure Stef has told you that you deserve all of this. All of it and we want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible and that your are taken care of. That is our goal." Lena asserted as her face continued to remain soft._

 _"That's right sweets. This is your home and I want you to be as comfortable as possible. You can go in any room you like, you can go in my room as well. There's no restrictions, nothing. If your hungry at 2am you can make whatever you like as long as you make me something too." Stef joked as we all laughed._

 _"But all joke aside my love, I don't lock fridges, I don't hide food, I will never starve you. If I buy something it's for all of us and you don't ever have to pay your way. Never. If you need something, if I ever forget anything remind me. I will not bite. If you want junk food tell me. I'll get it. If you need money, tell me. Tell me what you need. Tell both of us because this is all new to me as well and I might forget a few things or not realize things. Yes?"_

 _"Ok" I said smiling as she kissed my forehead and I glanced back at Lena._

 _"Stef...I think someone needs a hug."_

 _"I think so too."_

 _Before I knew it they were both hugging me tightly as all I could do was smile and laugh like a kid as they kissed me on either side and I felt more at home then I ever have in my entire life. I ..I loved them and I hoped this was the reason...the reason I kept pushing on, kept moving on...so I could...so I could met them. So I could meet Stef and Lena._

* * *

 _The day had flown by as Lena and Stef had shown me the rest of the apartment and I loved every bit of it. Stefs room was yellow and she had tons of pictures on her dresser mostly of her and Lena which I loved for they were hugging and kissing in every one. Her bed was huge and she had just as many pillows as I did. Her closest which she let me look in was filled with a few plaid shirts and her police uniforms. She was like me...simple. I did wonder were Lena lived and what her placed looked like, but I wasn't dumb and knew she probably stayed over sometimes._

 _As I slowly walked out of her room and glanced at the pictures in the small hallway I smiled at the one of Stef which I assumed was the day she graduated from the police academy. She looked really young maybe only a few years older then me. I also noticed a picture of her with another cop who was a male and they also looked much younger in it. Next to that was a photo of Lena when she was a kid smiling with an older woman who I assumed was her mother. She was really cute...but I also noticed there were no photos of Stef with her parents or of any of when she was little. I wondered...but I loved them all and I soon felt a hand on my shoulder._

 _"That was about 50 years ago." Stef joked as she saw me look at the picture from her graduation._

 _"I don't think so." I smiled shaking my head._

 _"You look really young..I mean not that you look old but..."_

 _"No it's ok sweets. I was very young. I was only 18."_

 _"Really?" I asked surprised._

 _"Yup. I was barely 18 when I signed up with my ex husband. That's him..Mike." she said pointing to the picture I was looking at earlier of the both of them. As I glanced closer I realized I had seen him in the ICU a few times, but then I thought my mind was playing a trick on me when I heard Stef say ex-husband._

 _"You? Did you say ex..?"_

 _" I thought..." I trailed off._

 _"Yes ..I am gay ..but then I didn't know it or didn't want to admit it. It took me a long time to accept who I really was. Mike and I were married for 20 years before I left and moved back here." she admitted as she stared at the picture._

 _"Oh...was he mad?"_

 _"MM honestly no. He said he suspected it. I guess I was more obvious then I thought. Being a cop doesn't help huh?" she laughed._

 _" I think that's just a stereotype. It doesn't really matter in the end as long..as long as your a good person." I said as I felt her slide her hand into mine._

 _"You most certainly are right about that honey."_

 _"I..I recognize him from the ICU. I thought he just worked there."_

 _"No. Actually we are partners and and he came a few times to see you." she said smiling at me as I was wondering why anyone would want to see me._

 _"Really?" why?"_

 _"Well..he was there with me the night you called me."_

 _"Oh." I swallowed hard as that night was still a blur for me._

 _"You know baby...I'm glad you called me that night. I'm glad you trusted me enough to call me. I know that wasn't easy." she now placed her hand under my chin gently lifting it up._

 _"But we don't have to talk about that now love. But we will one day, ok?" She looked into my eyes as hers remained soft but stern._

 _I nodded my head as I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid it that much longer for Stef had proven to get me to talk about things I'd never wanted to ever talk about._

 _"How about we go help Lena with dinner? She's making some tofu lasagna. Who doesn't love tofu?" she joked as I couldn't help but laugh at her expression._

 _"Ok." I said as she pulled me in closer for a hug gently kissing my forehead._

 _That night after dinner we had all watched the movie, Big, with Tom Hanks which I had never seen as I snuggled in between the both of them. Stef kept saying all the lines to the movie and Lena keep throwing popcorn at her to get her to stop. I didn't know weather to laugh at them or the movie but it wasn't long before my eyelids felt heavy as I tried hard to keep them open. But soon enough my head had fallen into Lena's arms and my body leaned back and nestled into her not even realizing it. I wasn't sure how long I had been asleep but I woke up with my feet in Stefs lap as I saw her sleeping with her head back against the couch as one of her hands was inside mine. Lena's hand with in my other hand as she had her arm around my waist and as I looked up I saw she was sleeping as well._

 _"It's ok baby we are here." I heard Stef whisper as she squeezed my hand and my eyes fell closed again as I snuggled more into Lena._


	19. Lena

**_Hi all! This chapter deals with Lena which I want to make an important person in this story as well. I hope you enjoy!_**

 ** _Next chapter we get back to Callie who at first was adjusting well but she will go back a few steps it seems._**

 ** _-Stef1981_**

 _"Yes mom, yes...she will be ok... Well tell me, do you want to come here and live with us?" Lena said sarcastically as she spoke with her mother over the phone who was finding it hard to believe that Stef was fostering a child. Lena knew her mother, Dana, was never one to shy away from her opinions especially when it came to her daughter's life and Stef's to be exact. Since they began to date a year ago she had butted in there business from day one and voiced her many concerns especially once she learned Stef was a cop and that she had been married to a man for more then twenty years. Dana just didn't want her daughters heart to get broken once again like it had many times in the past from previous women. However, after meeting Stef, Dana had actually feel in love with the blonde especially after witnessing how well she treated her daughter and how natural there love seemed to be. She could certainly see the cop was the strongest of the two and definitely protective of her daughter which she loved dearly. But it still didn't stop her from voicing her non stop opinions about where they should go with there lives and what they should do. That alone annoyed the curly haired women to no end as she was already finding it hard to sleep which was why she was cleaning out her closet as it midnight. Lena found herself missing the blonde and Callie terribly for the last few nights she had shared a couch with the two and had spent the last few days getting to know the teen even more. The three had spent the weekend going shopping, seeing a movie, and even having a picnic on the beach while they watched the sunset. The young girl had held Lena's hands a few times and even feel asleep on her more then once as Stef admired the closeness they were forming. To Lena the three had really started to truly feel like a family and the young teen seemed to be adjusting remarkable well. That was all the two women had wanted for Callie from the beginning. They wanted to show her what it was like to have a safe, reliable and loving home, but now the separation Lena was feeling was heartbreaking. The blonde had urged her to stay over, but Lena had decided to give Stef and Callie the much needed alone time that she felt they needed. However coming home to a empty apartment to prepare for the work week was proving to be a bad decision as she was wondering how she ever lived alone. The quietness, the only soul being hers was bringing depression on so deciding to reorganize the closet that her and Stef shared was one way to make her bored which would hopefully bring on tiredness and hopefully put her to sleep._

 _"I'm just saying Lena, is she capable of even doing this? You know I love Stef...you know I do but she's not the most...well...Stef is not the most maternal." her mother said as Lena could only roll her eyes._

 _"Mom, she is very maternal actually. She know's what she's doing. Give her some credit." She shook her head._

 _"I have never seen her with a child. Have you?"_

 _"Yes mom I have! And...you know mom I really appreciate your support. I really appreciate it." Lena said dusting out the bottom of the closet._

 _"Honey, I am very much being supportive, but also sharing my opinion. How much does she know about taking care of a child..much less one that had a tremendous amount of baggage...I mean you have no idea what..."_

 _"Mom..Stef...is more then capable of taking care of Callie. They have formed a wonderful bond, in fact they have gotten very close. We all have."_

 _"I just think the both of you are getting involved in something that...well it could turn out to be bigger then you think. That girl might have bigger problems then you can handle. Then the both of you can handle."_

 _"Well, it's been over two months mom and we seem to handle them fine. Stef and I were the ones who were with Callie in the hospital for almost two months. We handled it and we are fully prepared for it. We are prepared for all of it. I also know what I am doing..and that little girl has made a tremendous amount of progress."_

 _Lena couldn't help but feel the frustration grow even more as she tried to ignore her mother's constant pessimism but at the same time defending her partner the best she could._

 _"Lena I have a right to voice my opinion. I kept my mouth shut when you told me you were breaking up with Monte for Stef. Which I didn't agree with but after meeting her I understood. And...I just care about the both of you. You and Stef. And..your life.. now what about your wedding honey?"_

 _Monte? Was she serious Lena thought. She just always knew how to bring up the wrong thing from her past that she never wanted to think of again._

 _"I know and I understand but Mom... we still plan on getting married. But it will wait for now...We just want Callie to get adjusted and help her find a permanent home."_

 _"Ok, and what about you wanting your own child? Have you spoken to Stef about that?"_

 _"Mom, It's getting late I need to go."_

 _"Lena..honey..."_

 _"Mom. I have an early board meeting." she said rubbing her forehead as she could feel a headache coming on that was surly from her mother's interrogation._

 _"Just remember your needs as well. I warned you about that when you were dating that other women."_

 _"Mother I am! And how many times do I need to tell you Stef is not Monte...Monte was very..selfish. Now I need to go and finish my cleaning. Please mom."_

 _"Ok, ok I know when my advice is no longer appreciated. I will talk to both you and Stef later?"_

 _"Yes that's fine."_

 _"Alright I love you Lena. Remember what I said."_

 _"Yes..mom I love you too. Bye." with that she gladly hung up and rolled her eyes at how demanding she could really be, how impossible and how nosy but at the same time appreciating her for she knew very well that not everyone had been as lucky as she had. Neither Callie, or Stef as she recently learned._

 _As she glanced through the pictures of her phone of her Stef and Callie a warm smile fell across her face as she was hoping the night was going well for the both of them. She knew Stef was nervous but she was also well aware she would handle it just fine like she had handled everything else. Placing the phone down, which displayed a cute picture of the three of them, she once again continued to sweep out the bottom of the closet as noticed a large box to the left. Placing the broom down and sliding the heavy box near her she saw it was labeled with Stefs name, as she remembered a few weeks before Callie came along the two were planning to move in together and the blonde began to bring more and more of her things over. Slowly opening the box she realized that it completely filled with unopened letters. As curiosity would have it Lena realized they were all addressed to Stefanie Marie Foster but were mailed to her Sacramento address. Lena knew Stef hated to be called Stefanie more then anything which she learned very early on wondered who they could be from. However, once she glanced at the return address her mouth fell open as each one had been written by Sharon Cooper. Stef's mother dating back as far as 20 years ago or more. A few were even from Frank Cooper as shocking as that seemed to be. Lena at this point was completely and utterly confused about what she should do. Should she open one? Should she put it back and act like she never saw anything? She should bring it up with Stef? The brunette certainly didn't want to pry into her partners business. She never wanted too ever for she respected her privacy and was fully aware of how closed off the blonde could be regarding her past which she fully understand. But after a few minutes of contemplating Lena hesitantly opened one letter that was stamped from two years ago and could feel that maybe she was more like Dana Adams then she might have thought._

 ** _June 19, 2014_**

 ** _Dear Stefanie, ( I know you like to be called Stef but you will always be Stefanie to me)_**

 ** _Hi. It's mom again and well it's been almost 20 years, well more then 20 years since we have heard from you and I have written so many letters hoping that one day you will write back, or call, or just something. Anything. I miss you honey, I miss your face and your laugh and that beautiful smile you have. By this time you are almost 40 and I can only imagine how beautiful you have become. Well, you were always very beautiful and smart, and strong, very strong and caring to just name a few. I always had high hopes for you and knew you could do anything in life and I hope you are accomplishing everything that you have ever wanted. I hope you are also living the life you want and that you are happy. Every mother wants there child to be happy and I am no different, despite the choices I made when you were growing up. I never intended for our life to go that way,ever, but I just wasn't strong, I wasn't capable of doing what needed to be done and I regret it everyday of my life. I regret loosing you, I regret not being the mother you needed. I regret missing your birthdays, I regret not sharing holidays, I regret missing your wedding. I regret not having a relationship with you. I regret it all everyday Stefanie._**

 ** _I wanted you to know that last year I left your father for good and I have been living on my own. I moved to the sunshine state, Florida, and I have a nice condo, I take long walks on the beach with my dog, Wilson. You always loved animals and I remember you always wanted a dog. I know your father never let you have one though. Do you have one now? Maybe you do, or maybe you could come visit one day and play with Wilson. We also have a beautiful pool and I know how much you love to swim._**

 ** _How is everything in Sacramento assuming you still live there? How is Mike? I always liked Mike and I thought he was a very nice young man for you. Well I know he is not young anymore but I am sure he is treating you right. He always has. Are you still a police officer? I am sure you are as you have always stuck to things and you have never been one to give up. Ever. My ambitious little girl._**

 ** _Well, I will write again in a few weeks and maybe you will write me back. Maybe. I hope you enjoyed your birthday back on April 14th and I hope you got my card. I always hope you get my cards since I send them every year.`_**

 ** _Stefanie my sweetheart, my baby, I just want you to know how much I love you and how much I always have loved you and maybe one day I will hear from you so that I can tell you over the phone, or in person how truly sorry I am._**

 ** _I love you sweetheart. I love you more then you will ever know._**

 ** _XO_**

 ** _-Mom_**

 _As Lena finished the letter she could feel the tears fall down her cheeks as she opened yet another. All were the same. Stef's mom updating her on her life and pleading with her how truly sorry she was, how she missed her and hoped she was ok. She also couldn't help but notice how..how sweet the woman appeared to be and the affectionate language she chose to use which was very similar to how Stef spoke to Callie on a daily basis. Lena knew it was wrong of her to open the letters but she couldn't help but wonder if Stef was so angry why she had kept them? Or maybe she intended to read them one day? Why had she not sent them back? Why had she not opened even just one? The brunette knew it was a painful thing...and she knew Stef's mother had failed her and not protected her. She knew that but she also knew that the blonde must think of her parents every once in awhile no matter how painful it must be. She must or she would never have mentioned them that night to her. Clearly it wasn't just Callie who had past demons to deal with, Stef also had her fair share and it was possible they needed one another to get through them. To face them and to heal._

 _Deciding she would address this issue with Stef later on, she placed the letters back in the box and moved it towards the back of the closet. Now standing up Lena couldn't help but gently touch and sniff the few uniform shirts Stef had left in her closet. This woman, she was so complicated, such a handful, such a ball buster and a down right piece of work which made her laugh as she knew Callie would sure enough experience that. But she was her piece of work and she wouldn't trade her for the world. Nothing for she had changed her life. Of course now Callie was changing both of their lives but Lena's life had began to really change a year ago at that coffee shop when she laid eyes on the most beautiful and intimidating person she had ever met._

 _ ***FLASHBACK**_

 _"I will take the Mocha Latte." The curly haired woman said as her nerves were already shot from the argument she had with Monte earlier. All she wanted to do was have a coffee and erase the day away but everything was proving to be difficult. To top it off she felt a cold coming on and knew she was most likely running a fever and was trying more then anything to ward it off as much as she could._

 _"And can I have a chocolate donut please?" she asked hoping the junk food she never ate would calm her nerves even more._

 _"That will be 5.62." said the cashier as he bagged her donuts and rang up the order._

 _As Lena vigorously began to dig in her purse for her wallet she instantly noticed it was not it its usual spot which was unusual for the brunette was a neat freak and religiously put everything back in its place. As she began to grow impatient panic soon took over as her head was pounding harder then before. It seemed she didn't have it..but not today she thought not today. Today was not the day to loose it for she never lost her wallet once._

 _"Ma'am." the cashier began.._

 _Lena now anxiously checked her pockets feeling for it inside her coat and found nothing._

 _"I know I have it I know..."_

 _Looking to the ground and now taking everything out of her bag she was adamant that the wallet was somehow still in her bag as she could see the line behind her was growing longer and people were becoming impatient._

 _"Miss..maybe you can step to the side and let..."_

 _"Yes just hold on I have it...I know I have my wallet. It has to be here!I can't loose my wallet. I just can't." She now flipped her entire bag upside down as all the contents of it spilled all over and Lena began to rub her forehead roughly._

 _"Shit, shit shit!"_

 _"Miss...umm" the cashier began again as his impatience had grown as well._

 _"Look everyone can wait! OK? I have my damm wallet I know I have it if you give me one damm second to find it. Can you do that huh? Or is there a fire everyone has to get to!."Lena said as she could feel her body begin to boil over._

 _"You have no idea the kind of day I've had. It's been the absolute worst! For starters my girlfriend and I had a terrible fight because why wouldn't we, all we do is fight all the time now, I'm sick probably running a high fever which is making me nuts, my car wouldn't start this morning and I had to walk in the rain, oh and to top it off I had to fire three people this morning. Not one person, not two but there! Because why? Because why you ask me? Oh yes because Lena Adams is the softy...the one everyone comes too when they don't want to do it! That's right! So look the last thing I need is you telling me how long the line is and to step aside! You and everyone else can wait just one damm minute!" Lena had no intention whatsoever of going off on the cashier for she was always polite and patient. But today wasn't the day, and she, she just had had it and had a complete meltdown in front of everyone. At this moment she didn't care. She didn't care one bit and after realizing she didn't have her wallet stood there crying as the cashier looked utterly confused and unsure of what to do. What Lena didn't count on was the woman who had seen witnessed her breakdown from afar and quickly came over._

 _"I'll pay for her."_

 _As Lena swiftly turned her head to see who had spoken and made the generous offer to pay, she was suddenly awestruck by a beautiful blonde cop with a long french braid in her hair. The cop glancing warmly let out a soft smile as she stared into Lena's big brown, and hurt eyes as she too felt an instant attraction._

 _"No...no you don't need to.." she began now feeling completely embarrassed as she gestured her hand out to stop the blonde from paying._

 _"It's no trouble. Besides, you sound like you had a hell of a day. It's the least I can do." The cop insisted as she handed the cashier money for the drink and donut happily._

 _"At least let me give you the money...I think I left my wallet in the car this morning and I can simply run out and get it..it's probably on the floor or something under the seat and..." Lena rambled on nervously as she was about to run to her car but the cop immediately stopped her as she could clearly sense the brunettes nervousness. The blonde herself had one hell of a day as well._

 _"It's fine...just pay me back by having coffee with me beautiful." she winked without any hesitation as Lena suddenly began to feel butterflies fly around her stomach for she was pretty certain this cop was most certainly flirting with her._

 _"If not I'll have to arrest you." she joked as both laughed._

 _She had to admit to herself it was hard to say no as she desperately needed to get out of whatever funk she was in and maybe talking would help as she continued to debate the offer in her frazzled head._

 _"I don't bite." the blonde said as she began to help Lena place things bag into her bag._

 _"No...I'm sorry my brain is just...I would love to have coffee. I would."_

 _"Great..I have time before my shift anyway and I could use something to wake me up. Why don't we grab the table by the window."_

 _"Sure...sure that sounds good." As Lena was about to lead the way the cop immediately grabbed the brunette's coffee and donut guiding them both to a nice quiet table in the corner and pulling the chair out for her. The slim woman had to admit she was not use to this at all and found the blonde to be...to be somewhat enticing and charming even if she had known her for just a few minutes._

 _"Thank you." she stuttered as she now glanced up into the cops mesmerizing eyes. Mesmerizing they were and extremely intense._

 _"Of course...I'm Stef by way." The blonde said as she took her seat across from Lena who was still staring longingly into her eyes._

 _"My goodness how rude of me... I'm Lena. Lena Adams. Please forgive me I am usually much more put together then this." She admitted feeling even more embarrassed then before._

 _"And I usually don't have complete meltdowns in the store for everyone to see either." Lena shook her head and Stef could only smile widely which did not go unnoticed by the slim brunette. Her smile was warm, and downright...heartbreaking and sensitive._

 _"I understand...don't worry about it. We've all had those days. I've definitely had my share of them." She laughed as she took a sip of her own coffee._

 _"I'm not crazy." Lena laughed as Stef could only laugh herself._

 _"I know you're not don't worry. Besides everyone is entitled to one good breakdown a month Lena. I'll just make sure I'm around if it happens again to you." she smirked as Lena swallowed hard and couldn't help but feel her heart beat faster then before. Yes it was most certainly obvious that Stef was flirting with her and making no secret of it as she now found the blonde looking intensely into her soft brown eyes. The brunette's body was feeling..was feeling way too much passion and she wasn't sure what to do with it. She knew well and very well that she was in a committed relationship with Monte even it was having its share of problems...but she was finding it very hard to ignore the intense attraction she was developing for the woman who was was sitting in front of her. Stef herself knew and had overheard Lena say she had a girlfriend and she certainty didn't want to come between them but she almost couldn't help herself but to flirt with the brunette. She had never done so with a woman before but she was well aware she was gay and had come out a few months ago._

 _During that late afternoon that soon turned into early evening the two women continued to share there lives with each other as if they had know one another forever. Any bystander could clearly see the chemistry that radiated from them and the immediate connection they seemed to form within a few hours. Lena found the cop both comforting, extremely confident and open as she was able to tell her almost anything. Stef herself felt as if she could take a few of her walls down and began to reveal who she really was for she found Lena to be sensitive, non judgmental, intelligent and sweet. It was no secret to either woman that there was a certain level of attraction going on and Lena soon found her mind wandering off on more then one occasion as she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss her, too share more of her life with her and... and to hold her hand which she imagined to be both strong and sensitive. Images of them in bed were also floating around..but she knew...she knew that couldn't happen she knew very well for what would she do break it off with Monte? Would she be that impulsive for a possible fling based on physical attraction? Or was it more then physical? Too many thoughts ran through her head as she continued to sip on her coffee and enjoy the blondes presence to the fullest. But Stef herself was having the same exact thoughts as her eyes continued to fall on Lena's neck which she wanted to softly kiss._

 _"Shit..look at the time I gotta go." Stef said as she glanced to her cell phone realizing it was close to seven and she needed to start her shift._

 _"Wow is it 7 already? Goodness. I need to go myself."_

 _"I'll walk you out." the blonde said as Lena once again smiled at her protective offer as Stef held the door open for her and couldn't help but stare at Lena's long legs that she imagined kissing._

 _As the two walked towards the brunette's car the rain that had soaked the streets all day had let up and the San Diego sun was brightly shining on the roads. It was true that neither women wanted the time they shared together to end as they lingered a little longer in front of Lena's car. The brunette once again looked into the eyes of the blonde as she felt her heart continue to beat faster then ever._

 _"Stef, I just want to thank you...my day was completely horrific and..you just...it was so nice meeting you and talking. Thank you." Lena expressed shyly._

 _"You're welcome.. and it was nice having coffee with you too. Beats hanging out with men all the time." she laughed as they were now both feeling butterflies in their stomachs._

 _"Listen...I um..I hope everything works out with you and Monte, and firing people and your car and your wallet."_

 _"Thank you..honestly...I'm sure it will be ok..I think it was just one of those days. I'll go home, grade these papers and veg out." she said smiled._

 _"Well, if I ever have one of those days I hope I run into you." The blonde admitted as Lena knew she was flirting with her once again causing her to let out a wider smile then before._

 _"I'm..I'm sorry I shouldn't.. I know you have a girlfriend and I shouldn't flirt like that..." Stef shyed off as she looked to the side feeling embarrassed._

 _"Stefanie...it's..it's... ok. No harm done. You're ..you're very sweet." her face grew flustered as the brunette gently found the blondes hand and slide hers into it. She couldn't help but notice how strong they were, strong and intense as their eyes soon locked with one another's for what seemed like a million years. They began to move closer towards each other as only the sound of Stef's radio could interrupt the intense moment as Stef had almost leaned in to kiss her._

 _"Umm...Duty calls." the blonde spoke breaking the silence between the two as they were only a few inches from one another and there hands unlocked._

 _"Yes... so do exam papers I need to grade."_

 _"Well...umm ..you have a good night Lena, and maybe we will run into one another again."_

 _"You too Stef...and I hope so too." she smiled wide at her once again._

 _With that Stef walked toward her patrol car as Lena continued to stare at the attractive and completely irresistible blonde as her mind went right between her legs. She could only wonder what would have happened had the cops radio not interrupted them for she knew and felt Stef leaning in to kiss her. She...she knew and almost felt that she would not have stopped her even if that...even if that would have been wrong. She wasn't a cheater, it went against everything she valued. But this woman had made her ...made her body feel all kinds of things without having touched it. She had made her laugh, she had made her feel good and it had been a very long time since anyone had ever done that. Forgetting she was still staring and standing in the middle of the sidewalk Lena saw Stef turn her head around to wink at her and she could only smile once again as her heart had completely exploded out of chest. It would be dangerous to see her again, or to even just simply bump into her again for she didn't know if she could control herself. But she wanted to...she waned to more then anything._

 _ **FLASHBACK ENDS***_

 _As Lena lay in the bed remembering that day she was brought out of her memory by the sound of her cell. Glancing at the screen she saw Stef's name flash across it and quickly picked it up as a smile fell across her face._

 _"Hey love." she said happily but immediately heard the worried and panicked tone the blonde's voice._

 _"Lena...I.. I don't know what happened Callie..." She trailed off._

 _"What baby, what happened?" Lena instantly sat up in the bed at the mention of Callie's name._

 _"Callie ..locked herself in the bathroom and I ..I can't get her to come out. She's completely terrified baby..I don't know...I don't know what I did.." Stef said as Lena could hear even more panic, fear and worry from her voice and she most certainty knew she was crying._

 _"I'm coming love. I'm coming right now." with this Lena threw on her slippers and ran out of the apartment._


	20. Trust

**Hi all! Here is the next chapter and please excuse any grammar or spelling mistakes! I will go over it again as I wanted to get it out to you guys!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

 **xo-Stef1981**

 _STEF POV_

 _"Sweets bed time!" I yelled from the kitchen as I placed the last dish on the drying rack. Looking at my watch and noticing that it was getting closer to 10pm I wanted to make sure Callie got as much rest as possible for her body still needed it to properly heal. I was shy on rest myself and didn't mind hitting the bed much earlier then usual. The last few nights we had all passed out on the couch watching movies and my body was surely feeling it. Well, it had been feeling it for the last few months for that hospital chair had done havoc on my back each night. But to be honest I didn't care, as my main priority then and now was the well being of my foster daughter who seemed to be adjusting relatively well and appeared to be comfortable in her new surroundings. I knew it would take time and I expected there to be a few if not many hiccups on the way as the therapist and case worker warned me of many scenarios that could happen as each day passed. Callie might go in and out of feeling safe, that her trust for me might seem high some days and next to non on others, that she might rebel, that she might test my patience to see how far she could go with me. On the other hand she might cling to me, she might not let me out of her sight and I might be the only person she speaks to for months. Despite this and despite what may lay ahead I could only hope that she would continue to feel safe with me and Lena and would consider this to be her home as it very much was. Over the last few days Lena and I had reassured her constantly and basically on an hourly basis that she didn't need to clean like a maid, that she didn't need to pay her own way, that she didn't have to pay us back, that she didn't need to finish every bite of her food, that she could tell me what she liked and disliked and that she could ask for what she needed. It was certainly a struggle especially when it came to assisting her with changing out of her clothes each night and helping her with showers as she insisted on doing it herself. I understood it, Lena and I both did for Callie was embarrassed and afraid of us seeing her bruises among other things that I could only assume the reasons. But what the teen didn't know was when she was in the ICU and in out of consciousness I had seen each and every one of them as each mark, burn, and scar had pained me. Pained me to the point where I had felt them myself and I would have taken each one for her. Despite all of this I was honestly enjoying her presence to the fullest and the side of me that I had never experienced, because being Callie's foster mother was, was like nothing else I had ever known. Just seeing her face every morning would put a smile on mine, seeing her laugh melted my heart, feeling her hold my hand and lay in my arms each night filled that empty part of my heart that I had never known to be empty. The part that had been beating for someone like her to love..to cherish and I wouldn't trade it for the world for this babygirl was becoming my life._

 _As the time continued to fly by and as I realized Callie had not responded I headed towards her room to check on her as I knew it was her first real night sleeping in it. I knew she was nervous about it, even if she had yet to admit it but I could see it all over her face. Approaching her doorway I stopped to notice her on the bed as she was struggling to pin up the curls in her hair that Lena had given her earlier. I knew certain movements were still difficult for her as her body was still healing and it continued to amaze me how much Callie would try to ignore the pain. But I had to remember...I had to remember that was something she was so use to doing as I had done the same._

 _"Hey my love do you need some help?" I said continuing to stand in the doorway as a smile fell across my face when I saw Callie was still wearing one of my plaid shirts that looked quit large on her. Of course she had her own set but she had certainly taking a liking to wearing my clothes which I found endearing._

 _"Yeah...I thought...I thought I could do it but..." her eyes trailed to the floor as I heard a tone of defeat in her young voice as she dropped the brush on the bed and let out a sigh of frustration._

 _"It's ok baby...I don't mind helping. I know some things are still a little too painful for you to do. Can I come in?"_

 _"Of course " she said as I slowly walked in and took a seat next to her on the soft blue comforter._

 _"How about you sit on the floor between my legs? I'll be able to fix it better and you can sit on a pillow sweets. That ok?"_

 _As she nodded her head she slowly moved to the floor as I held her hand gently and Callie positioned herself between my legs and sat on the comfortable blue pillow._

 _"Comfortable my love?"_

 _"Yes." she nodded as I softly kissed the back of head._

 _Graciously and carefully I began to brush her soft giant curls that smelled like fresh strawberries as I couldn't help but remember how my own mother use to do the same to my hair when I was younger. I would sit just like Callie was between her legs and we would goof around as she would tell me these amazing stories that I was pretty sure she made up. But I didn't care at the time..I didn't care one bit as those...those were the times I enjoyed with her more then anything. The times before my father became violent and began to drink his life away. Pushing those thoughts aside as I really didn't want my mind to go there I wondered if Callie ever had those moments with any of her foster mothers, even just one, but I knew the answer was most likely no as heartbreaking as that sounded and felt._

 _"You know when I got shot I could barely move my body." I said as I brushed another of her curls and she instantly turned her head up to look at me as it was filled with worry and panic. That immediately caused me to soon regret mentioning that part of my job but I knew I couldn't really hide the reality of being a cop and I couldn't really shield her from it. I was barely successful at protecting Lena from it as she refused to hear any part of it._

 _"You...you got shot?" she swallowed hard as her eyes remained fearful and I softly rubbed her cheeks._

 _"I did yes...but I was ok baby. They put me in rehab for three months and I needed help with everything. Even peeing." I joked but I could still see the look of horror on the young girls face._

 _"Cals, I'm not the kind of person who likes to ask for help if you didn't notice and that's one thing I can see we have in common...I'd much rather do everything myself. 100 percent of the time. But I couldn't then. I had to let doctors, nurses and Mike take care of me. It wasn't easy baby."_

 _Her eyes looked down now as I could tell she felt bad._

 _"Who...who shot you?" she questioned looking up at me once again._

 _"A teenager love. It was an accident actually. I had responded to a domestic disturbance call and when I got there a teen boy named Davis had pulled a gun out on his dad. I never got the full story on what they were fighting about but I had busted through the door on my own with no backup whatsoever and he got scared and shot me. So it was really my fault to be honest. I mean that's the first thing they teach you in the academy to never respond to calls, or go into unpredictable situations without any backup. But with me being the one thinking she could do everything on her own I didn't follow that rule and got hurt." I gently continued to rub the side of her face as her eyes continued to grow bigger._

 _"That was a long time ago..maybe 15 years ago and as hard as it is for me at times I..have to think back to that day when I chose not to wait for help, or to simply ask for help. Sometimes you gotta let your barrier down and let people help you even if many have failed you in the past. It doesn't mean the new people you meet and come across will necessarily repeat the same patterns as the others. You now baby?" I asked as Callie now rested her head on my leg as she observed my expressions and took in every word I spoke to her. She nodded her head._

 _"Were...were you scared?"_

 _"Yes. I was. I was very very scared. And that's a feeling that is not always easy to admit love."_

 _"I still have a giant scar near my stomach. Wanna see?"_

 _I could see both the hesitation and curiosity fill her face as I slowly pulled my shirt up a bit to reveal the gunshot wound near my stomach. Callie's eyes grew wider as I saw her swallow hard and her eyes grow sad._

 _"Does...does it still hurt?"_

 _"No baby. It's just something that is...well that's apart of me now. I still have some of the bullet fragments inside me." I smiled as to reassure her there was nothing to fear. Nothing at all._

 _But as she continued to observe my wound, she softly kissed her own fingers and almost immediately took the same fingers and rubbed my wound with it. It was the sweetest gesture I had ever witnessed as she looked up to me and smiled._

 _"I hope it never hurts again Stef."_

 _"After that I don't think it ever will." I winked as I leaned in and kissed her forehead._

 _"You know Cals...I don't want you to worry about my job. I am very careful and I have a much bigger reason to be even more careful now. Back then I reckless, and careless. Much more...But the point is...the honest point is...That I don't ever want you to feel bad about your scars or injuries or that you need help for anything. Things happen in life my love and we...and we handle them, we get passed them and it makes us a stronger person. It doesn't define who we are."_

 _"I'm not...I'm not strong like you...I'm scared of everything." she said shaking her head as she now lowered her eyes again to floor._

 _"Sweetie, just because you're scared doesn't mean you aren't a strong person not in the least."_

 _"Callie my love, what are you scared of honey."_

 _She failed to respond and just shrugged her shoulders._

 _"Well, that is definitely not a real answer love." I laughed._

 _"Come sit on the bed next to me. Come on love." She moved slowly and took a seat close to me as I wrapped my arms around her._

 _"Talk to me baby. Let it out."_

 _"I'm still...what if ...what if she finds me?" Callie spoke softly as she still failed to look into my eyes._

 _"What if who finds you baby?" Of course I was well aware of who she speaking about but I wanted her to admit it herself as I leaned in even closer to her and ducked my head down a bit to catch her gaze._

 _"Cals..my love..what if who finds you?"_

 _She remained silent._

 _"You know just because you say her name doesn't me she will appear honey."_

 _With that she looked up into my concerned eyes as I instantly noticed fear take over hers once again and her eyes continued to widen even more._

 _"Talk to me honey. Come on." I knew I had to remain very patient as I could see she was trying her hardest to get it out. I gently squeezed her hand._

 _"Baby have I or Lena given you any reason not to trust us?"_

 _Callie shook her head._

 _"Ok..good...And you know you can tell us anything. I mean anything. yes?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Ok...then spill it love. Who are you worried about finding you." I once again gently turned her soft innocent face to look into my eyes._

 _"Well...what if...what if Justina finds me?" her eyes began to tear as the mere mention of the woman's name had put the fear of god into her. That alone infuriated me. The control she still seemed to have over her as Callie's legs began to shake and I placed my hand on them to soothe her nerves._

 _"Well...I have news for you and for her...if she does find you I'll be right there and she will wish she never ever found you, ever. Believe me honey. Plus legally she is not allowed to go anywhere near you at all because I took a restraining order out against her so she is not allowed 1000 ft near you. If she breaks that and comes close to you she will be arrested, and I'd be more then happy to arrest her ass again." I said sternly as I could still see doubt in Callie's expression as she swallowed hard._

 _"But...what if she finds me and your at work...or...if she finds me here and..." she continued to panic._

 _"Sweets...you have many people looking after you. Many. Lena, Mike, and I even have a few more friends at the precinct as well. I don't want you to worry. Please don't worry my love because this foster mama wont let anything happen to her baby girl." I reassured her as she let out a soft smile and leaned in closer to me._

 _"Stef...she.. tried to kill me." Callie whispered into my chest as I felt her squeeze my hand harder and I heard her begin to sniffle. I knew she was crying and I knew that was one of the most painful things for her to admit. Well one of them._

 _"I know baby. I know she did...and she's not going to get away with it. Trust me...Not at all if I have anything to do with it. You know I will fight my hardest for you. Yes? Lena and I."_

 _"Yes." I heard her soft voice say._

 _"And you know I would protect you with my life?"_

 _"But..." she glanced up into my eyes with that same look of doubt as they were filled with tears that I gently wiped._

 _"Callie...there are no buts my love. You don't know how far my love goes. You don't know baby..but it goes farther then you could ever imagine. Your life is very precious to me. Very..and you are not wot worry about Justina. Ok? You let me handle that."_

 _"But.." she spoke again._

 _"Cals as your foster mother and as someone who vows to take care of you, I need you to trust me to handle it. Trust me and Lena. No more buts understand?" I said sternly but let out a soft smile to reassure her she was in no trouble._

 _"Ok." the teen nodded as I wiped the remainder of her tears._

 _"Now, where's that smile I love so much. Can you smile for me?" I said as a small smile spread across her innocent face._

 _"Oh now you can do better then that my girl because that's a pretty sad smile and won't win you any awards." I joked as she began to laugh and I let out a wide smile myself._

 _"Much better...now how about you and I get some sleep?"_

 _I questioned but soon felt her dig her face into my shirt as she held me tight and I knew fully well she wanted me to stay with her. Her body language said it all._

 _"How about I stay in here until you fall asleep sweets?" I kissed the top of her head once again as I felt her nod in response which I took as an immediate yes for I knew she wasn't going to flat out ask me._

 _As I slowly lifted up the blue comforter we both got under and I wrapped my arms around my daughter as she laid her head gently on my chest. I soon felt her dig her face more into my shirt as I began to rub her back softly and felt her breathing begin to slow down as I knew she was completely exhausted. We both were beyond words._

 _"Stef..." I heard her whisper._

 _"Yes my love." I said continuing to rub her back._

 _"Remember that sound ...remember you asked me if I had a favorite sound...and you said yours was rain."_

 _"Yes I remember."_

 _"Well...I know what mine is."_

 _"Yes...what is it honey?" I asked happily._

 _"Your voice."_

 _I had certainly not expected that at all. Not in the least as I felt my heart almost explode at her response. This little girl was...was really forcing me to open my own heart as well._

 _"That...that is so sweet baby. And I have to tell you your voice does the same to me as well as your laugh. I love that laugh more then anything." she glanced up to me letting out another smile as I kissed her forehead once again._

 _"Lets gets some sleep sweets."_

 _"Ok.."_

 _"Goodnight my love. Sweet dreams." I whispered as I covered her more with the soft stripped blue comforter._

 _"Goodnight...mama." she said very very quietly and I thought my ears were once again playing tricks on me as she had called me mama again. Maybe Lena had been right...maybe she had said it in the ambulance. Maybe she had and maybe she had meant it. The thought that...that this was only temporary until we found her a more permanent home was seeming like an even more difficult decision or choice. But maybe it didn't need to be that way. Maybe..._

* * *

 _I wasn't sure how long I had been asleep, not in the least for I was startled out of it by a piecing loud scream. A scream that could wake the dead caused me to pop open my eyes as I realized Callie was no longer in my arms. Jumping out of the bed I nervously looked around as I heard cries coming from the corner of the room and there was Callie curled up in ball in the corner._

 _"Callie love...what's...my sweetheart.." but as I leaned down to touch her shoulder she instantly flinched away from me and leaned her body closer to the corner._

 _"No! No! Please don't hurt me...please I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!" she cried as she wrapped her arms around herself trying to almost shield her stomach._

 _"Sweetheart...I won't hurt you...it's me, it's Stef my love I would never..."_

 _"No...No...I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to make you angry Stef...I'm sorry. Please don't hit me again."_

 _Again? At this point I didn't know if she was awake or asleep for what she was saying wasn't making any sense to me for I had never laid on single hand on Callie besides to hug her. I wanted to comfort her so badly as I could truly see how terrified she was but I didn't want to make it worse._

 _"Cals...you're just having a bad dream my love. It's just a bad dream. I would never ever, ever in life hurt you sweetheart. Never." I gently spoke but this time she turned her head to look into my eyes which were now tearing. I could see she was fully awake but it was possible she wasn't aware. Maybe she thought she was still dreaming._

 _"No...no it's not...I won't be bad I won't...please...just don't hurt me." she now got up and I did as well but she backed up. She backed up slowly as the only light in the room was glowing from the seashell nightlight._

 _"Sweetheart...I just want you to relax and be careful where you step. I don't want you to fall and hurt yourself. I just...I need you to understand my love that I am not..." But as I apparently had moved to close to her she suddenly ran to the bathroom faster then anything as I tried to follow behind. But she had locked it almost immediately._

 _I didn't want to frighten her anymore then she clearly already was as it seemed she was so completely terrified of me that I didn't know what to really do. I didn't want to bang on the door, I barely wanted to knock on the door and I didn't want to yell through the door. I also wondered how she was able to run considering she still needed her cane to stabilize herself but I had to remember what kind of injuries this girl had been use to functioning with and that when she was afraid she almost felt no pain. But this time she was afraid of me...and that was...that was a hard pill to swallow._

 _As a few minutes had passed..I began to grow even more worried. I was just hoping she was ok...that she didn't hurt herself and I just desperately wanted too...wanted to help her._

 _"Callie my love...it's ok sweetheart. You don't have anything to be afraid of my love. You don't have to at all but...just let me know your ok in there. You can knock just to let me know sweetheart." I said as gently as possible through the door but she wouldn't respond._

 _"Cals baby please sweetheart...just knock on the door to let me know your in there. Please baby." Still nothing as I heard her sniffling on the other side which calmed my nerves down a tiny bit as I knew she was still awake._

 _"Love...what happened princess? What happened? Did I do something? Did I say something to you for you to be so scared of me?"_

 _"I know your gonna hurt me...I know it." she said as I heard her sobbing. That phrase alone broke my heart._

 _"Baby...no..I will not...I will never ever hurt you. Nothing you could do would ever make me hurt you. Nothing. Have I ever harmed you in the last two months?"_

 _No answer as I continued to hear her sniffle and I remained seated outside the door._

 _I had to admit...I just wasn't sure what to do and I was certainly feeling like a failure. Callie and I had come so far...and she had never behaved liked this in front of me. Never. But now she was scared of me, now she was horrified..and I was...I was at a loss as the time continued to tick by. Feeling completely defeated and thinking I was fully prepared to handle this myself but realizing I might not be, I got up and walked quietly into my room deciding to call Lena as I could feel the tears swell up in my eyes._

 _"Hey love!" I heard her happily say as I tried so hard not to reveal how upset I was for I needed her more then anything right now._


	21. The Dream

**Just a note I went in and adjusted the "Lena" chapter a bit and made some edits. I didn't like how I had initially wrote the flashback with her and Stef's meeting so if you like you can go back and reread it.**

 **Anyway here is the next chapter and I hope you enjoy!-Stef1981**

CALLIE POV

 _I wasn't coming out. I wasn't. There was no way I was coming out. I had locked the door and...and there was nothing anyone could do. Maybe Stef would go away. Maybe...maybe she would but I knew I was making her angry. I knew I was..and I knew I was only prolonging my abuse. I knew I was as I remained in the tub that I was never coming out of. The dream...the dream was going to happen. That dream was horrifying, it scared me...it made me run from her. The dream where Stef had snapped._

 _The ..the last few days with Stef and Lena had been...they had been the nicest I ever had in my life. Ever. I loved them..I loved everything about them. Tonight was the first night Stef and I had spent alone and I loved being with her more then anything for we shared ice cream and watched a comedy on TV. I thought I would need to clean up after dinner but she insisted I didn't need to do any of that and that I needed to rest my injuries. I was hesitant but did as I was told. I tried to always do as I was told...even if she gave me no reason to be afraid.. I..I wasn't afraid of her, I wasn't afraid of Lena either...but the last thing I remembered was falling asleep on Stef in my room...then..then I was I was in a room...but it didn't look like my room. It was a different room and I was on my bed struggling to put shoes on when...when Stef had come in...and I was happy to see her. She had smiled at me like she always did but something was off...something was weird as I got up to hug her and she had a weird expression on her face. One I had never seen her have and...then ..she pushed me to the ground. She pushed me and she..she kicked me. She kicked me in my ribs. The same ribs she had bandaged many times for me when I was in the ICU...she had kicked me repetitively and, and had pulled my hair hard. I was...I was crying. I was begging her to stop and she was screaming at me. She was yelling at me saying I was a waste of time, that I was a waste of her time and she was going to throw me out with the trash. Her face was mean, her face was angry as she screamed at me not to look at her. I...I begged her...I pleaded with her about how sorry I was but she...she punched me in the face. She punched me so hard saying she was faking the entire time. That she really didn't want me. That I was nothing...and my eyes were tearing, burning as she punched me again harder and harder. When I woke up...I was...I panicked when I saw her sleeping next to me. I couldn't breath and ran to the corner of the room screaming. I didn't know if I was dreaming, I didn't know if I was awake..I didn't know what was going on as I suddenly had felt her come near me. But I was terrified. I was so scared. I was so scared of her._

 _As I came out of my thoughts I continued to hear her talk to me through the bathroom door as I tried not to cry. But I was crying. Stef was telling me how I didn't need to be afraid, that it was all a dream...but that dream was gonna happen. It was. I was waiting for it to happen. It would happen when I came out the bathroom. She..she didn't love me...I know she didn't she had said it in my dream she was faking. She was...she was faking. No one could love me. No one as Justina had told me many times. It was true as my vision was blurry in the dark bathroom where the only light was coming from the night light by the sink. I would stay here. I would stay here as long as I could. I couldn't face another beating. I couldn't as I laid down in the tub and wrapped my arms tight around myself trying to block Stefs lies and pleas from the other side of the door. I didn't want to hear it...I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't. I couldn't...I had wanted this..I wanted this life with her to be real...where she said she loved me, where she held me every night, where she took me places and laughed with me and.. It had been real. It had.. but I knew that dream would soon be the reality I would face. I knew it for I didn't deserve anything good. Ever._

* * *

 _LENA POV_

 _"Baby look..it's ok she probably just had a nightmare honey..a very scary one." I said as I tried to comfort Stef as we sat on her couch. She had tears streaming from her hurt face as I squeezed her hand tight._

 _"Lena...you should have seen her face...and the way she pulled away from me..like.. like she was waiting for me to hurt her. I would never hurt her baby. I would never in a million years." she said as I watched her get up shacking her head as she soon paced the room back and forth._

 _"Baby I know you wouldn't..and deep down she knows too. But she's scared honey. It's...it's a lot love. She's...she's had a rough life and despite what we have shown her it's..it's going to take more. It's going to take time Stef." I said as gently as possible as I knew she was seeing it as a fail on her part._

 _"Maybe...maybe I was too pushy. Maybe I tried to hard to..to be perfect to..."_

 _"No.." I said getting up as I placed my hands in hers._

 _"Love..you yourself know. You know how she's feeling. You know what it's like to ...to be scared to trust. I mean we can't fully know whats going on in her head, we don't know but...you have more of an idea then I do. It just might require you to..to go back into your past honey." With this her eyes fell to the floor as she let out a deep sigh._

 _"Stef...why would you lock yourself in the bathroom?" I asked as painful as it was._

 _"I mean have you?"_

 _"Many times." she admitted hesitantly as she looked away from me but I gently pushed her face to look into mine._

 _"Ok...why honey?"_

 _"Lena..." I could hear the frustration in her voice._

 _"Honey...why?" I persisted as she looked at me once again and swallowed hard._

 _"What does it matter why I did what I did. ..We..we need to get Callie out of there she.." she gestured to the door as I could see her anger grow. But I knew she was more angry at me for making her think of her past and for bringing it up._

 _"Stef it does matter. It does. Because only you know how she feels. I don't. I don't honey. I've never had to hide from my parents so that they wouldn't hurt me. I don't know what that feels like and I can't even imagine how scary it is..._

 _She let out a heavy sigh and looked away from me once again._

 _"Look I know you don't want to face it..I know that baby but...you became a foster parent to her for a reason. You connected with her for a reason. She connects with you and she adores you honey. She adores you so much and you are like a..like a magnet to that little girl. You...you have unfortunately been where she has... I know you have Stef so don't deny it. You can't."_

 _"Lena I'm not talking about that! she said pulling away from me._

 _"If you love Callie you will! You will Stef! You will right now and this is...this is no time for you to hide! Stop hiding! You...you know what shes thinking..you know what she's feeling and you need to be honest with yourself and remember why you locked yourself in the bathroom...she needs to know what you have been through too. Face it Stef! " I yelled as I could see she was fighting me even more._

 _"I didn't call you over for this shit! I didn't! and I didn't call you over for you to consul me. If I needed a damm shrink I'd go find one myself for fuck sake!" she said turning around and heading to the bathroom._

 _"Stef!_

 _"Lena! Quit it! I'm going to get my baby out of there. Ok! I'll get her out my damm way Dr. Adams without confessing my...my shit past! That's what I'm gonna do. ok? I mean is that ok with you?"_

 _I shook my head at my partners stubborn attitude as I rushed behind her and pulled arm as she looked up to me surprised._

 _"Stef baby..please calm down for a second please." she shook her head stubbornly._

 _"Stef...I'm not trying to fight with you...baby look..tell me something..how was the night...tell me..what happened after I left?" I asked as we continued to stand in the middle of her living room as I could fell her anger slowly fade._

 _"Lena...we need to get Callie out and we don't have time for .."_

 _"Baby just tell me..how was the night?"_

 _"It was fine. We..we watched TV, had some ice cream, she let me pin her hair up and we fell asleep."_

 _"Ok..where did you fall asleep? Where did she fall asleep?" I asked but I already knew the answers._

 _"She fell asleep in my arms in her room..she was scared to sleep alone."_

 _"Ok and did you talk before she fell asleep in your arms?"_

 _"Yeah...we did and she..."_

 _"She what?" I asked genlty._

 _"Nothing it doesn't matter now." she said looking defeated once again._

 _"It does...what honey..tell me."_

 _"It doesn't Lena..I already failed...I."_

 _"Stef...just tell me...she what?" I grabbed her hands and squeezed them harder._

 _"She called me..." she looked down once again._

 _"She called you mama again didn't she?" I asked as I already knew._

 _"What does it matter Lena...what.."_

 _"Stef...it does matter. Did she call you that or not?"_

 _"Yes.. ok she did...but what kind of mama scares the shit out of her kid." she let go of my hands and sat back on the couch looking to the ground. I slowly walked over to take a seat next to her once again as my hand rested on her leg._

 _"Stef...you personally didn't scare her. You heard what the therapist said to us...She has...she has a lot of issues that we don't know about...and that will only continue to surface as time goes on._

 _"I know baby. I know."_

 _"It's just...it was so hard...and painful to see her be so scared of me...to pull away from me and It...it caught me off guard and I just..." she leaned her head down as she shook it once again._

 _"I know, I know baby." she reached for my hand as I squeezed it._

 _"Babe, Callie trusts you..even if right now it doesn't seem like it. She has always in someway trusted you and its probably confusing to her as to why. Especially since she's probably trusted people in the past who have violated that."_

 _"Id never violate her trust Lena. Ever." she said looking sternly over to me._

 _"I know you wouldn't. I know that._

 _"But I think a part of her is in there waiting for you even if she thinks she's not and even she seems completely terrified of you. Baby..I wasn't trying to hurt you by making you talk about your past..but I was thinking maybe if you thought back to when you locked yourself in the bathroom..that..it would help you get inside her head more...and understand what's she's going through in there. I think...if your completely honest with yourself about what you went through the both of you can understand more of this connection you share. I am not saying you should connect based on your past but use your memories to let her know you get what shes feeling. It's..something I can't touch. I can be there for you..I can be there for her but let her know you understand what she's feeling in a way no one can."_

 _As I looked to her I could feel and see the internal struggle she was dealing with as she once again looked to me._

 _"Ok...if...that's what I need to do to help my baby I will." she said sternly and with more determination then ever as I nodded and brought her hand up to kiss it softly as she let out a small smile._

 _As we both continued to lock hands tightly we made our way toward the bathroom door and I carefully knocked not to startle Callie._

 _"Hey Callie..it's..Lena sweetheart. I just..want to make sure your ok. Stef and I are here and we...we want you to know that you aren't in trouble and that whatever happened, or whatever caused you to be afraid that...we understand. We understand honey but we just want to know that your ok." I said as I heard sniffles coming from the room as I looked to my partner who looked heartbroken. I gestured for her to take my place as she walked slowly over to the door._

 _"Callie my love..." I could see she was hesitating as I held her hand tighter._

 _"Sweets..I Understand how you are feeling...I do more then you think my love...I don't know what caused you to become afraid of me...I don't know if you had a dream...or if I said something to you I don't know but whatever it was, no matter what it was we can work through it. Callie..I am not faking. I am not faking one bit. I am being the most honest I have ever, ever been and we can work through anything my love...absolutely anything...Cals...I...I have been where you are. I have honey. My father...he use too um..he would smack me around, kick me, he would hurt me, punch me in the stomach...I have scars no one has seen but Lena...and sometimes the only way I could get away was to...was to lock myself in the bathroom, or a closet. Which I did many, many times. More times then I could ever count baby. And I would sit in there alone for hours, which felt like years and I would cry..and curl up in ball and just wish I could fade away. Fade away from him and everything. I just...always thought it was my fault. Always..and I wanted someone to tell me it wasn't. I wanted someone to tell me he would never hurt me again...I wanted someone to..to save me and to make me feel ok. That's all I ever wanted baby. So I get it sweetheart. I get it and Callie..you...I know you are afraid. I know you're afraid that I will hurt you..or that I will snap...but I won't my love. I Never..ever will...and if I have to prove that you to you every second of the day I will. I am not Justina, I am not any of those foster parents you have ever had. Callie you are my daughter, you are. You..you are my life sweetheart and I want to give you what I always wanted when I was your age. Safety, love, and a home that you love and want to come home to. That't what I'm going to give to you...so please baby..please my princess..please come out and talk to us. Please babygirl."_

 _As my eyes filled with tears with what my partner had revealed I...wiped them from my cheeks as I knew how painful that was for her. I knew very well as I was crying like a baby and as I looked toward her she stood stronger then ever as we waited for any response from Callie. But as we let a few minutes pass by there was none and as I looked to Stef she looked so defeated._

 _"Baby lets sit and wait." I said as she remained in front of the door not moving. But suddenly we heard the door knob move and slowly open. There was Callie on the other side and her eyes moved up to look into my partners as they were filled with tears. Tears and utter fear. Neither of us moved as smiles gently formed on our faces as we didn't want to scare Callie as she slowly opened the door even more but her hand remained on the knob._

 _Slowly and carefully she moved closer to Stef and looked up into my eyes now as I continued to smile as neither of us spoke._

 _Both Stef and I knew it was going to be a long road ahead of constant ups and downs as this was just the beginning._


	22. When We Were Young

**_Hi all! I Hope you enjoy the story! (This chapter has massive updates)_**

 ** _*Please note there is mild mature subject matter in this chapter._**

 ** _-Stef1981_**

 _It had been more then two weeks since Callie's arrival and since the first bathroom incident which proved to only repeat itself on an almost daily basis leaving both Lena and Stef completely drained out. Lena had stayed on the couch almost every night as going home proved to make not much sense since it seemed it took the both of them to get Callie to come out of the bathroom. They thought about removing the lock but didn't want to frighten the girl or cause her to look for a new place to hide. But each night as Callie would wake up screaming and run to the bathroom in fear startling both women out of their sleep they would sit outside the door and explain to her the same thing over and over and only hoped that she would soon start to believe it like she had in the beginning. Of course Callie wanted too, she wanted to more then anything especially after hearing about Stef's abusive childhood as well...which she wanted to ask her about, which she was curious about but she just...she couldn't get the horrible dream out of her head which she had yet to reveal to either woman. As a result of this Callie wouldn't allow either woman to get to close to her nor touch her for if they did she would flinch and move away, especially Stef. Depression also seemed to be taking over as well for when she did spend time with them she rarely spoke, and only responded when asked a question giving only vague answers, she no longer made eye contact with either women, she no longer laughed, or smiled. Callie had literally reverted back to the scared, and panicked teen she use to be._

 _To witness this was extremely painful for both women's hearts continued to break at Callie's emotional decline. Stef was particularly beside herself as she racked her brain endlessly trying to figure out what had caused there once budding relationship to change so drastically. Of course she continued to blame herself and was consumed with guilt and sadness herself but never revealing it to her daughter. She just more then anything wanted to know what was going on, what Callie was really thinking and she wanted to help her. She wanted to more then anything because despite the difficult last few weeks she continued to love her more and more each day._

 _To help deal with Callie's decline her therapy sessions were increased to three times a week and it was suggested she return back to school and that Stef return back to work. The teens body was now almost 90 percent healed and she no longer needed the assistance of her cane or physical therapy. Even as both women remained hesitant about her returning back to Anchor Beach they soon agreed that the social interaction with peers and change of routine would hopefully be good for her. Having Lena there would also be good for Callie even if she still displayed an extreme level of hesitation around her as it would be helpful to see her around other students and witness she was not abusive. Stef after much debate decided to return back to work._

 _As Stef prepared for the day in her room the blonde felt ironically strange as she stood in front of the mirror with her uniform on for it had been well over a month the last time she had worn it. Course the last time she wore it she wasn't anyone's mother but she had to admit it was a good feeling to return as she was hoping it would allow her brain to think and get out of her own head. Placing her badge on and unlocking her gun out of the new safe she had gotten she let out a deep sigh as she looked across the hall at her young daughter who was placing books in her backpack. She missed that little girl and who she had become, she missed hugging her more then anything, she missed her smile, she missed her laugh and she missed the way she would look at her innocently at times. She missed...she missed holding hands and she wished she could chisel away that thick shell she had formed around herself. Stef couldn't help but feel horrible at how afraid she was of her now, how sad she was and could only hope that things would change soon. But she would remain patient and do whatever needed to be done to help her little girl. Anything. As she closed the safe and adjusted her gun belt she walked to Callie's doorway and knocked softly as to not startle her._

 _Callie herself had gotten dressed and finished packing her bag as she turned to the doorway to notice her foster mother dressed in uniform. She had completely forgotten that she was returning to work and unconsciously directed her worried eyes into Stefs which she had avoided the last few weeks. The teen couldn't help but notice how much more intimidating she looked and it only increased her level of panic for if she really wanted to she knew Stef could really hurt her now...or shoot her for she saw the gun around her waist._

 _Her nervous glare didn't go unnoticed by the blonde as she slowly walked in and took a seat on the bed observing her daughters face._

 _"How are you doing my baby?" she asked softly as she unconsciously almost went to touch the young girl but placed her hands on her lap._

 _"Ok." Callie said placing the last book in her bag as she moved a little father away from the blonde which Stef instantly noticed._

 _"Cals my love you have the cell phone I got you right?"_

 _"Yes." she responded polity and barely audible._

 _"Ok..if you need me or if you need Lena please please use it honey. Text me, call me and I'll be right there. If you aren't feeling well.. or anything go to Lena. Our phones are on all day baby. I even put Mikes number in there and he said the same. Now if for any reason you can't reach me, which won't happen, but if you can't or if you can't reach Lena, which I again doubt, call him. Ok love. Yes?"_

 _Callie nodded once again as she still avoided the blondes eyes._

 _"Baby can you look at me please my love. Just for a second I miss those eyes." she pleaded._

 _As Callie painfully hesitated she didn't want to anger her foster mother and looked to the cops face which was more gentle then ever. She also noticed how tired she looked which she knew was her fault. Everything was._

 _"You know I love you right my love..That I love you more then anything?"_

 _Callie didn't respond nor move her head even if she really wanted too. Part of her wanted to hug Stef so badly and wrap her arms around her. Part of her wanted to tell her how much she loved her too. More then anything in the world..and more then anything she..she wanted to call her mama again which she had let slip at least twice. But she was so scared. She was terrified._

 _"I do love you honey. And I'll miss you today. I will my little girl." Stef let out a soft smile hoping and praying to get a small one in return. But no such thing happened as Callie remained awkwardly standing in front of her eager to leave as conflicted emotions continued to fill her body._

 _"Are you ok about going back to school honey. I mean I know I've asked you a million times but I just...I just want to make sure you're ok with this?"_

 _"Yes." the girl nodded as she continued to nervously stare into Stefs eyes._

 _"Ok...um before I forget Lena is going to take you to her place after you get out of school so just go to her office once school is over and I will pick you up when I get off at 4. Ok love?" she said as a smile remained on her face._

 _"Yes."_

 _Stef hated the one word answers Callie gave more then anything but she had to remain patient._

 _"Now, I made some breakfast honey which of course is nothing like what Lena cooks but it won't kill us." she joked hoping to get a laugh out of the teen. But nothing._

 _"Um..Come eat with me?"_

 _Callie looked down and nodded her head in response._

 _"Ok. Five minutes sweets."_

 _With that Stef exited the room but looked back to see Callie remain in the position she had stood in during there conversation. The blonde sighed softly as she remembered the day her and Lena had brought Callie home and how excited she was when she saw her room. So excited that she had hugged the both of them and cried happily in their arms. That was the little girl Stef missed and she was more determined then anything to find her hidden under that protective shell._

* * *

 _"Alright my love you ready?" The blonde said as she parked her SUV patrol car outside Anchor Beach Charter School, but as she turned to look softly at her young daughter she could see the sudden rush of anxiety fill her body as Callie's eyes gazed toward the school. The blonde knew Callie was nervous,worried and fearful for the last time she had been to the school was well over three months ago and the experience had not been a good one. However her and Lena had spoken about it and the brunette was eager to show Callie more of the school that she had never gotten to experience, introduce her to a few nice students and maybe some clubs. But they knew it would take time for Callie was not the most social person which Stef understood more then anyone._

 _As Stef continued to observe her daughter she was eager to comfort her as always for she couldn't help but notice the teens trembling hands. But as she attempted to touch them Callie quickly moved them and the blondes eyes quickly saddened as she turned her body to face her daughter who's eyes remained down._

 _"My love, I know last time you were here it wasn't a good ...it wasn't a good experience my love..and if you don't want to you don't have to go yet. It's fine if your not ready no one will see it as a failure nothing like that." She spoke gently._

 _But all that ran through Callie's mind was the last time she had been driven here with Justina. How she had sat in the same spot she was in now filled with the same amount of fear that she was so frustrated with feeling. She didn't want to feel it, she knew Stef had given her no reason to, she knew it but she just...she just couldn't accept her words. She couldn't believe them and because she couldn't believe them, she didn't want to be so attached to her, no more, even..even if that thought pained her, she didn't and decided it was just best to keep to herself, to remain quiet, to do as she was told and to just get by until Stef would get sick of her and send her back._

 _"I'm ok." The girl lied as she remained still._

 _"My love...please look at me." the blonde said softly as Callie's eyes now moved up slowly to look in Stefs face once again as she swallowed hard._

 _"Promise me...if you aren't feeling well or anything please, please, please call me ? I am always available for you. Always. I'm speed dial 1."_

 _Callie nodded her head as the blonde continued to speak gently to her as she let out a reassuring smile which the teen yet again failed to reciprocate._

 _"And I'll call on my lunch to check on you ok?"_

 _Callie once again nodded her head without saying so much as one word._

 _"Looks like someone is waiting for you." Stef voiced as she noticed Lena standing at the entrance of school. "Come love let me walk you."_

 _As Callie turned her head she saw the brunette happily waiting at the door and greeting other students. She really didn't want to go in, she really didn't want Stef to walk her in and she just wanted to hide. She didn't want to experience the day for she knew no one, she didn't want to meet anyone either for she was fully sure she wouldn't be here didn't want to like the school, not one bit, she didn't even want to go on the beach, she just didn't and more then anything she didn't want to remember the days Justina had dropped her off as she saw her foster mother open the door for her._

 _Stef reached in and grab the girls bag and extending her hand out for Callie to take it even if she knew the young girl wouldn't._

 _"Do you need help getting down honey?"_

 _Callie shook her head no as she proceeded to jump down herself and Stef closed the door behind her._

 _As the two proceeded to walk towards the entrance Callie could feel her stomach turning and moving around as the nerves continued to fill her entire body. She couldn't help but glance toward the beach as she saw kids playing Frisbee and some volleyball. Some were even surfing and splashing around together in the waves. She wanted to go in but...she pushed the thoughts out of her mind. Looking in front of her she saw a few other kids with skateboards, some even on roller skates as they all happily walked together giggling and laughing. Callie felt like an idiot for she didn't know anything about this, she didn't know anything about having friends, she didn't know much about enjoying school. She just didn't and she wanted to so badly just hide as she now looked up to her foster mother and swallowed hard. Stef feeling the young girls gaze looked down at her and let out a soft wink and smile to reassure her that it would be ok and that she was by her side even if the young girl resisted it more then anything now._

 _"I'm right here baby." she confirmed as Callie nodded her head taking a small amount of comfort in her words._

* * *

 _The day was dragging by horribly slow for the cop for she found being back at work more of challenge then she anticipated for she couldn't get her mind off her daughter as she continued to obsessively check her phone for any text or call from Callie. The blonde had texted her earlier of which Callie responded that she ok but Stef knew she was anything but that. The blonde had to resist the urge to call her until her lunch break for she didn't want to overwhelm the teen and let her get adjusted to being back at school but she also didn't want her think she was alone in any of this. Knowing Lena was there to check in on her soothed her nerves but she still found it hard to relax which Mike instantly picked up on even if Stef tried to hide it._

 _"I'm sure shes ok Stef." he said looking over to his partner and ex wife who turned to look at him surprised._

 _"What?"_

 _"Stef..I know you...and I know it's Callie's first day back and yours. I can tell your worried."_

 _"Mike I'm not..I'm just waiting for this coffee to kick in." she lied as Mike shook his head at Stef's predicable response. He knew her, man did he know her better then most people which was a result of being married to her for more then 20 years. He knew she was one who never liked to admit anything was wrong, that she couldn't handle anything, and that she dare need help. He knew that and she had not changed since the day he met her almost 25 years ago._

 _To him sometimes it felt like it was just yesterday that they were teenagers roaming the halls of San Diego Memorial High and he could clearly see as the light of day the first time he laid eyes on her. She was barley 17 and he was 18 when the blonde had passed by him in the hall and let out a wide smile as she walked by his locker. He had never seen her before oddly enough because he was pretty sure he would remember if he had for her eyes were both intense and piercing as they locked with his. Mike himself didn't know how to respond for he was somewhat awkward and shy around this time but his eyes couldn't help but notice how the tight jeans she wore hugged her hips nicely and how her long blonde hair that fell to her waist flew in the air. She certainly left him tongue tied and his mouth seemed to not be able to utter a single word. But as time would have it and luck he found the courage a few weeks later to ask her to the movies to see, Ghost. He remembered it wasn't his top pick but he didn't care what they saw as he was just excited that she said yes._

 _"So...ummm Stefanie.." Mike stuttered as he felt like a complete idiot as Stef smiled wide at him. She had on those same tight acid wash ripped jeans with a white tank top and an opened plaid shirt with white sneakers. Her blonde straight hair hung long as she stood patiently waiting for him to finish and popping bubble gum._

 _"Just Stef... I hate when people call me Stefanie." she said softly._

 _"Sorry...Stef that is...ummm...well..I was just wondering if...you know um.." Mike said looking everywhere but in her eyes as he couldn't believe how much he was stuttering and looking like a complete idiot._

 _"Are you going to ask me out now or next year?" she joked as he smiled wide at her humor._

 _It was then he realized just how sweet and confident Stef was not to mention incredibly bossy which he liked as he soon quickly asked her on their first date and the smile remained on her face._

 _As time went on and they started to see each other and hang out on a daily basis Mike couldn't help but notice how a certain side of Stef was insecure and somewhat secretive as she never ever wanted to go home. He could only assume that something was up for she rarely spoke about her parents and she never let him drop her home,ever. There were often times she would sneak into his bedroom and climb up to his window at three in the morning. He asked her numerous times if everything was ok at home but she would brush it off and say her parents were always fighting and she didn't want to hear it anymore. Not wanting to push her for more information for he could see she didn't want to speak about it he eventually had gotten a lock on his door and let her share the bed with him as he held her in his arms. Lucky for him his parents weren't very invasive as they saw the girl over everyday which strengthened there relationship and strong feelings for one another. It was also no secret to either teen that after dating for four months that they wanted to be intimate with one another and they soon learned that neither had ever experienced it. Stef at the time didn't really fully understand the true nature of her sexuality for she found Mike sweet, attractive ,and kind, and she loved being with him but part of her was very confused by her overwhelming attraction to girls for Mike was the only male she had ever looked at. She, however had brushed it off at this moment as a possible phase as she felt Mike gently slide into her for the first time and she moaned with pleasure from feeling him._

 _Mike himself was as gentle as possible as he slowly kissed her all over softly and smelling the sex that radiated off her body. He kissed down her neck, over her breasts and down between her legs which he gently opened. Not being shy herself, and possibly feeling the effects of the vodka they were both consuming of which Stef had no issue consuming half the bottle herself, they rolled around giddily in the bed and the blonde quickly got on top as she rode him hard with a cute smirk on her face and her long blonde tickled his stomach with each grind. Mike had to admit he loved her long hair at that time and the way it smelled and felt on him, and he also loved how soft she felt, how close he felt to her and how his love for her had grown. His hands had now gently rubbed and pushed her ass into him more as he graciously began to press his fingers into her warm sweaty back as Stef herself had leaned down to kiss him softly on the lips. She herself loved the way Mike smelled, loved how strong his body felt and how he protected her more then anyone ever had in her life as she found herself to have fallen deeply and strongly in love with him as she continued to kiss his soft lips passionately._

 _"Babe?" she heard him whisper softly and gently into her ear as he slowly kissed her neck and she let out a soft moan in response as she grinded on him even harder._

 _"Yeah baby?" she whispered back._

 _"I...I love you Stef...I love you more then anything and...and I'll always take care of you. I will." he said as he stared intensely into her soft hazel eyes and rubbed the side of her innocent face._

 _"Mike, I love you too." the blonde said smiling as she too looked back into his eyes and as they continued to make love the rest of the night._

 _Of course as time went on he soon found out the real reason Stef didn't ever want to go home. Yes the first time they made love had been in the dark so he had never seen the bruises on her body, but once he did everything began to make sense. He was horrified and more angry beyond belief as she broke down and told him what her father had been doing to her since she was a young girl as she had ran to his house that night with a busted lip and black eye. He vowed and promised her he would get her out of there even if it meant they had to move for he would pick up his life and go anywhere for her. Anywhere ...And he did for a few weeks later Stef's father had literally almost beat her to death and Mike came and got her in the middle of the night and they took off for Sacramento leaving everything behind. Only a few weeks later did she find out she was pregnant._

 _From that day on they had been there for one another through everything. Stef had been there for him when his parents passed letting him lay in her arms for days crying like no man ever wanted to, he had held her during the horrible nightmares she had of her fathers abuse, she had been there for him when his brother was killed, he had been there when she got shot and took care of her for six months as difficult as she made it, she had helped him when he was dealing with alcohol addiction, he had helped her during her devastating miscarriages, she had helped him during his cancer scares and the list just went on. Mike was well aware that they didn't have the perfect marriage but he loved her to no end and he would do anything for her and still would even if at times she made his life difficult for she was no easy women. Ever. There divorce and her picking up and leaving him had truly broken his heart._

 _Of course he had to admit to himself that he still harbored feelings for her which is why he found himself jealous of Lena at times for she seemed to make his ex-wife happier then he ever could during there more then twenty year relationship. But he accepted it when she told him she was a lesbian. He accepted it and was supportive as always._

 _As he came out of his memories he looked again over to his ex._

 _"Stef I hate to break it to you but you can't hide from me...I know you too well and I know you're not ok." he said as she now looked to him frustrated as she knew what he said was true._

 _"Well, I guess twenty years of marriage will do that." she joked as she took another sip of her coffee as Mike laughed along with her._

 _"Give her time babe...um. Stef I mean. Sorry old habits." he laughed as the blonde shook her head and smiled._

 _"Listen..Callie will come around. If anyone can get her to come around it's you. I have faith for the both of you and I know she will turn out great with you as her mother. Stef there's really no better person for the job."_

 _"Thanks...that's really nice of you to say."_

 _"It's true Stef. Just...just keep going. Sometimes it takes a certain thing for other things to come out. And that thing didn't happen yet for her. She will come back to you. I'm pretty sure of it. I mean we have seen it...some of these foster care parents are...You just have to wonder."_

 _"I know... I just hope you're right..I just can't keep from feeling like I have failed her already." she once again looked out the window thinking of the last few weeks._

 _"Nah..come on don't be so hard on yourself. You can't think that way and as long as I've know you you've never failed anything. Parents don't come with a book either as most people will tell you. I think most of the time you just wing it and see what happens."_

 _"You would have made a good father Mike. You really would have...and I'm sorry I could never give you a baby..and..."_

 _"Stef..wasn't meant to be. I'm good. Believe me. Kids make you old." He laughed as the blonde let out her own laugh._

 _"I wont argue there. I think Callie has given me 40 additional grey hairs." she joked._

 _"She will only give you more."_

 _"Yeah...what's your excuse old man?" she joked back._

 _"I'm looking at her." Stef couldn't help but laugh at that one for she knew it was damm sure true. She was a ball buster and had given Mike a hell of a time._

 _"Well, can't argue with that." she smiled as she felt her phone ring. Looking closely at it she saw Lena's number flash across the screen and quickly picked it up._

 _"Hey my love. I was just thinking about you." she smiled._

 _"Stef..." But as she heard the way Lena said her name she instantly knew something was wrong._

 _"What...what's wrong? What's wrong with Callie?" the blonde said as she began to instantly panic._

 _"Stef..she never went to her third class. I went in to check on her and her teacher said she never showed up. I also went to her second period teacher and he also said she never showed."_

 _"Shit!..Callie my love..." she said shaking her head and letting out a sigh._

 _"What's wrong,...what happened?" Mike questioned._

 _"Callie didn't go to class." Stef responded sternly as she glanced over to him but could her Lena begin to sniffle and a headache begin to form in her head._

 _"Stef..I'm sorry baby I..." Lena pleaded as she felt it was her fault._

 _"No, Lena love...this is not your fault...not in the least...I was..I was afraid of this. I knew she wasn't ready this morning but.." she shook her head._

 _"But we pushed her. We pushed her to go." the brunette said sadly as she was now filled with guilt as well as the blonde._

 _"Lena...did you check everywhere? I mean everywhere?"_

 _"Yes...I called her phone, texted her, we are all out looking for her honey. We checked the beach, we checked the lunchroom, every cranny of the school...I.."_

 _"We'll head over there Stef." Mike asserted as the blonde nodded her head as he turned the car around and switched the sirens on._

 _"Baby I'm on my way. We'll find her. We have to find her."_

* * *

 **NOTE: Just so you all know this is not a story were Callie runs away. She's not very far.**


	23. Talk To Me

**Enjoy guys!**

 **Just a note I added an additional scene, Stef/Callie to the last chapter (When we were young) as I felt it was missing one. Sometimes these ideas come to me at 2am and my fingers try hard to keep up with my brain!**

 **Thanks for reading loves!-Stef1981**

 _"She couldn't have gone far...I'm going to go look around and call some of the guys from the precient. Ill message her photo over." Mike said as he headed into the backup patrol car._

 _"Thanks." Stef yelled after him now looking to her cell as Lena stood nervously next to her._

 _"Damm.. she turned her phone off."_

 _"What?" Lena asked as she looked nervously to the blonde._

 _"I installed this app that allows me to track her phone, but only if its on...but she turned it off. Shit. " the blonde sighed to herself as she shook her head in defeat and frustration for she realized it was not the right time for Callie to return to school or for her to go to work_

 _"Why did we listen to that damm therapist...Oh send her back to school..oh Mrs. Foster go back to work. Damm idiot." she ranted as she now paced back and forth._

 _"Stef...no one could have known she would take off and she was only advising what she thought was best..I mean...maybe something scared her off. Maybe something today in class spooked her and.."_

 _"Lena please give me break Callie has been scared for weeks, especially of me. She looks at me like I'm...like I'm a monster." Stef painfully admitted as she let out an awkward and painful laugh._

 _"Baby...no..she doesn't think that way of you..she..she's scared of everything love. She is." Lena said as she gently placed her hand inside Stefs._

 _"I mean...she couldn't have gone that far...it's only been two hours." the brunette said._

 _"There's a lot of places you can get to in two hours love." Stef said sitting on the bench and leaning her head down as Lena could see how heartbroken she truly was._

 _"I'm so worried...I'm just...that little girl is my life...I mean you...you checked everywhere?"_

 _"We did...the cafeteria, all the empty classrooms the gym, the beach here and..._

 _"The beach. Shit why didn't I think of that." Stef said to herself as she quickly got up._

 _"What?_

 _"The beach we took her too..where the fair was and where we took her to dinner that night. She..she's in love with that place."_

 _"That's over an hour walk from here honey."_

 _"I'm sure she has walked longer baby."_

 _"You think she might have gone there?_

 _"I only hope so."_

 _"Ok..well I'm coming with you." Lena enforced._

 _"No...love you stay here in case she comes back and check my apartment as well...this is something ...this is something Callie and I need to face alone because whatever is freaking her out has to do with me."_

 _"Ok..but please let me know...please. I'm worried."_

 _"I will my love. I will." she said gently leaning in to kiss her partner on the lips as she soon jumped in her patrol car clicking on the siren and heading to the only place her young daughter might be. She just hoped she would get there before she left._

* * *

 _As Callie made the hour long walk which took her more then that since her legs were not fully 100 percent she made her way down to rest under the boardwalk. She loved this beach more then anything as it was the first one she had ever been on and it was the one Stef and Lena had taken her too and where she had spent her first outing with them. Of course she was confused as to why she would come here for she just wanted to leave everything behind. Everything for life...life had become too much and she had decided this morning when packing her backpack that she would leave and leave for good. Reluctantly she had even stolen money from Stef's wallet but had ever intention of paying her back once she found a job and could mail her the money...but the teen not matter how scared she had become of Stef because of that horrific dream, the dream she was so sure would come true, she just was so tired. She was tired of fighting herself, she was tired of waiting for the abuse to begin and she was tired of loving and waiting to be hurt. She was waiting for Stef and Lena to hurt her, to give up on her to trash her and she just couldn't live with that worry and anxiety anymore. She knew she had messed up now, she had messed up big time and...she knew her life could change in the blink of any eye just as it had done in the past. Tears began to fill her eyes even more as she thought of her foster mother who...she hated to admit she loved more then life as she looked in her bag and pulled out the picture she had of the both of them the day she came home. She saw how happy she looked with her arms wrapped around Stef's neck and Stef smiled her widest smile at her. Tears continued to flow down the girls face as her heart ache, how her heart was pained as she rubbed the side of the blondes face who she had shielded herself from for the past three weeks. Her feelings were so confusing and she was so sick of being confused. Why did she love her if so many adults had failed her? Why did Stef love her if she was such a basket case? Why? Why would Stef and Lena not leave her alone? Why had they taken care of her? Why had they...why had they done all the things they had done to make her feel safe, to make her feel loved? Maybe they would start to hate her once they realized she stole, once they realized she ran away, once they realized what a freak she was. They didn't know everything. They didn't and she wouldn't be able to tell them. But she knew she had to leave...for she had checked the San Diego bus times and she needed to be at the station soon. She would head back to the Midwest as painful as that was. Hopefully someone would hire her, she could be a waitress or do under the table jobs. It wasn't the best plan but it was something. As she wiped the tears that filled her eyes she quickly kissed the picture and placed it back in her bag. Counting the 100 dollars she had stolen to make sure she had it all she stuffed it in her pocket and quickly got up to say goodbye to the beach one last time._

 _"Callie!"_

 _As the teen made her way along the coast of the water and sand she could swear someone was calling her name but brushed it off as she continued on her way._

 _"Callie! Callie!"_

 _Hearing it again and widening her eyes she stopped dead in her tracks as she recognized the voice. But...how...how the hell could anyone know she was gone. Looked behind her as she heard Stef yell her name again she saw her running to her. No way...no way she thought as she now began to run away from her as fast as she could._

 _"Callie don't run! Honey just wait you aren't in any trouble! Callie stop!" The teen heard as she tried to run faster but her legs were still not 100 percent and the sand was to deep causing her to trip and fall into it giving Stef enough time to catch up to the scared teen._

 _"Shit!" She said to herself as she struggled hard to get up when she felt the blonde grab her arm and Callie tried harder then anything to break free of her hold._

 _"Get off me! Let me go!" She snapped as Stef pulled the girl in and hugged her from behind as Callie struggled to get out of Stefs arms that she had wrapped around her body tightly._

 _"No! I will not let you go Callie!" She said forcefully._

 _"Let me go dammit! Why can't you! Just leave me alone I don't love you! I don't want you!" the teen yelled angrily but Stef knew she didn't mean any of it as she was trying so hard to block her feelings off from the cop._

 _"Callie..you don't have to love me. You don't have too but I love you baby and I'm not letting you go! I am not and we aren't leaving here until you tell me what's wrong! I can stand here all night like this if we need to because I'm not letting you go baby. I have let you run long enough and it's not happening anymore!"_

 _But as forceful as the cop was the teen continued to struggle as she wanted more then anything for Stef to let go of her. She didn't want to talk, she didn't want to tell her what was wrong, she didn't want to relieve the dream, she didn't want to love her, she didn't want to hug her, she didn't want to care, she didn't want Stef nor Lena to care. She didn't and she wanted to push them away. She wanted to and tried all she could to get Stef to give up on her._

 _"Dammit! You let me go! I hate you! I hate you Stef!" she spat angrily as she tried harder then ever to break free._

 _"You can hate me Callie..you can..you can hate me all you want but I am not letting go. I am not honey! Nothing on this earth would ever make me let go of you."_

 _"Just give up! Give up already!" the teen said as tears of anger began to fall from her eyes._

 _"No! It's not happening. I am not giving up on you. Never...you can push me away or try to as much as you want but I am just as stubborn as you. I am..and I am not the mother who gives up there baby. You know that Callie..you are my baby. You are...you always have been from the first time I met you." The teen shook her head as she didn't want to hear it. She didn't want the cops words to seep into her heart that she had closed off for the past three weeks._

 _"No! No! I'm no ones baby! " The teen tried so hard to deny. She tired so hard but she knew..she knew it was true for the minute she met Stef she...she liked her. She liked her and that scared her._

 _"You are my baby Callie! You are and I'm not letting you go ...I can't let you go my love. Tell me what happened baby? Tell me what made you so afraid? What made you run? You and I were close..yes...you and I were. You laid in my arms every night, you talked to me, you laughed, you smiled that beautiful smile you have that melts my heart , you told me my voice comforted you baby. Tell me...tell me what happened sweetheart. Talk to me baby. I want to hear that voice..that sweet voice you have." Stef pleaded as she could feel the teens body now begin to weaken as she had stopped struggling and could hear her crying as the blonde was crying herself. Her arms remand tightly around her daughters as she gently kissed the back of her head as she had long to do the last few weeks more then anything but she felt Callie begin to struggle again._

 _"Sweets stop struggling..come on love...stop fighting me and tell me what happened baby? You must want to get it out. You must. Are you not happy with me? Did I say something? Did I do something, I can't know unless you talk to me baby...as much as I wish I could read people's minds...I can't love...but I am struggling here I am struggling to know what is wrong. I am honey.."_

 _Callie was trying so hard...but ...but Stef's words were melting the protective shell away that she had build around herself. She was fighting it harder then ever...she was but she could feel she was loosing each time her foster mother spoke... She was loosing badly as she shook her head._

 _"Come on let go honey. Let go sweetheart. Talk to mama. Yes..isn't that what you use to call me?" she gently asked._

 _Callie's eyes swelled up even more at the blondes words as her cries were now were inconsolable..and she...she just didn't know if she could fight any more._

 _"Let it go Callie...I got you. I got you honey just tell me."_

 _"You...you..." Callie began.._

 _"I what...I what honey...what baby." the blonde spoke as she kissed her soft head once again and her arms remained tight around Callie._

 _"In my dream..I ...can't"..The teens said as the blonde could hear how painful whatever she was about to say truly was. But she had to get it out. She had too if they were going to get past this._

 _"What...what dream baby? It's ok love. Just say it. Just say it baby."_

 _"In...in my dream...you...told me I was worthless, that I was garbage and you were going to throw me out on the street, that you didn't love me and that you were faking...and you..You...you kicked me, you punched me,,,,you said I was worthless...you.." upon hearing this Stef immediately turned the girl around to face her as she held her upper arms firmly as the blonde was utterly heartbroken at what the frightened teen had finally told her._

 _"Oh my baby...Callie...I would never in a million...never in a million years do any...goodness.." she said shaking her head as tears of pain fell down her face and the young teen looked into her eyes as tears continued to streamed down hers as well. Stef was beside herself wiht what Callie had confessed...about what she had dreamed as the mere thought killed her. Killed her for she had been carrying it around for weeks and she wished more then anything she had told but she knew it was too hard for the teen to. She knew that and she almost wished she had pushed her even harder a few weeks ago. SHe now moved her eyes up to look into Callies hearbroken face_

 _"Baby look at me."_

 _Ca'lie moved her eyes up to look into her mother's._

 _"Listen...I need you to know more then anything, I need you to know that I will never ever ever kick you, I will never punch you, I will never smack you. ..burn you or any of that. I will never physical, verbally or emotionally hurt you. You could never do anything in life to make me even remotely think of doing that to you. Never. And.. just the thought of someone else doing that to you makes me furious. Makes me angry beyond belief...I mean do you know how hard it is for me to not want to go over to Justina's house and kill her? Believe me I'd rather loose my damm job then have her walk around free knowing damm well what she did to you. I would give up my life for you Callie. Everything."_

 _Callie now began to slowly take in the words her loving foster mother spoke to her and Stef could see some of the walls begin to come down._

 _"I will never get sick of you, you are not garbage, you are not worthless, you do not have too much baggage...I wanted to be your foster mother because I believed and believe I can help you, and love you in a way no one ever has. It was scary for I don't know anything about being anyone's mother because Ive never been one...but I don't regret it. I don't regret it one bit...because honey seeing your face every morning makes my entire life, it makes my day because you..you have changed my life in so many ways that you can't even imagine. I just want too show you and give you a life that you;ve never have before. A life that I wish you had growing up."_

 _Stef loosened her grip on the teen and wiped the tears that had streamed down her face and for the first time in weeks Callie didn't flinch as the blonde smiled at her._

 _"Callie...in the time you have known me...have I lied to you?"_

 _The teen shook her head._

 _"Not good enough.. I want you to talk, and I want more then one word answers._

 _"Have I lied to you in the last three months?"_

 _'No you haven't."_

 _"Do you really, and honestly believe that I have been faking. That Lena and I have been faking all this time,,,that the love we show you is not real?"_

 _The teen looked down into the sand as she just wasn't sure of the answer.._

 _"Look at me baby."_

 _"I...I don't know." she said honestly._

 _"Ok...I'm glad your honest."_

 _"Do you really think I will become that person you dreamed about?" With this question Callie became nervous as deep down she didn't think Stef ever hurt her but in the beginning Justina had been nice too. The blonde could see the confusion on Callie's face._

 _"What is it honey?"_

 _"It's just...Justina was nice...at first and..I had other foster parents who...they were ok at first and then they started too..." Callie began to shake as Stef held her hand tightly and she continued to cry._

 _"Honey...I'm not them. I'm not. I stand by my word...love...and I know I have to work my butt off to earn your trust and I am willing to do that. I will do whatever humanly possible I need to for that to happen...I will worker harder then I ever have at anything to be the kind of mother you deserve. But sweets you.. you will have to trust me...you will have to give me a chance...a small chance to prove to you that...that I will never harm you, that I will love you unconditionally.. give me a chance to make you happy, and give me a chance to love you even more then I do right now. Because I love you more and more each day Callie. I do...so my love can you do that for me baby? Can you? Please?" the blonde pleaded as the teen looked into her trusting eyes and soon she had let herself give in and wrap her arms around Stef tighter then ever. Callie could do nothing but cry her eyes out for she had missed more then anything hugging Stef, and telling her she loved her. She did and she felt horrible for the way she had spoken to her moments ago._

 _"I love you.I love you so much and I'm sorry for what I said. I don't hate you...I don't I love you more then anyone." she said as the tears once again ran down her face as she hugged Stef harder then she ever had as the blonde had wanted that hug more then anything. Callie could only cry and cry harder then she ever had._

 _"I love you too honey...I love you too and I know you didn't mean it. I know." she said as she continued to hold the girl in her arms for as long as she needed._

 _"Callie please just don't you ever run away like that again. You hear me. You scared the shit out of me." she said kissing the top of her head._

 _The teen nodded as she dug her face more into Stef's uniform shirt as she hugged her tighter._

 _"I'm won't and I'm sorry. I'm sorry." she said continuing to cry._

 _"I know baby...I know you are. I'm just glad your ok my love. I'm so glad." she leaned her chin on top of the girls head as she continued to hold the girl for as long as she needed and she could feel Callie needed her more then ever. But she soon felt the teen gently pull away as she pulled something out of her pocket and handed it to the blonde without making eye contact._

 _Stef was surprised to see the $100 dollars that the teen was holding out._

 _"I...took this from your wallet this morning to buy a bus ticket...and I was going to pay you back when I got a job and stuff...I'm sorry I took it..I'm..I'm not a thief." she admitted._

 _The blonde gently lifted Callie's face up softly as the teen looked into her eyes which she expected to be angry but they were anything but that._

 _"I know you're not a thief my love...and I'm so glad you didn't get on that bus...because losing you would have broken my heart into a million pieces"_

 _"Losing you would break mine too." the teen admitted as she hugged her foster mother once again._

 _"But my love there will be consequences for running away and..for taking money from me. Yes..thank you for giving it back and admitting it but I have to ground you sweets as much as I don't want too." she said as Callie lifted her head up and understanding._

 _"I understand."_

 _"A week of no tv, no movies, you come straight home and do your homework?"_

 _Callie nodded._

 _"Also...you check in with me and with Lena. When school is out you text me even if you are going home with her you text me and call me. If you don't..grounded for a day, no privileges, no excuses and no turning your phone off. Understand?" the cop said as she lifted her eyebrows up and her voice remained stern which Callie did not process as fear but she understood she needed to be disciplined._

 _"I understand."_

 _"No secrets Callie. None. You come to me. If not me you go to Lena. I mean it."_

 _"Ok."_

 _"No computer games or twit or whatever either for a week."_

 _"Twit?" Callie asked confused._

 _"You know what I mean."_

 _Callie laughed as she realized Stef had no clue._

 _"Well, look at that. A laugh. At my expense too." she joked._

 _"Yes because twit is not a thing mama. Twitter is and I don't even use that." she said shaking her head as Stef couldn't help but realize what Callie had once again called her._

 _"Callie, I love when you call me mama." Stef admitted as she smiled warmly at the girl and tucked her pretty brown hair behind her ear as the young girl smiled at her and leaned into to hug her once again._

 _"I like calling you that." she whispered._

 _"I know you do sweetheart. I know you do and you keep calling me that anytime you want. Anytime." she gently lifted the girls face up again and kissed her forehead softly as Callie continued to smile widely._

 _"Stef?"_

 _"Yes love?"_

 _"I know I'm grounded but could we just sit here for a bit?" she asked._

 _"It's fine love." she said as the two gently sat in the sand. Callie sat right between Stefs legs and the blonde wrapped her arms tightly around the young teen that she loved so much as they both watched the waves of the pacific ocean. However, Callie couldn't help but wonder how Stef knew where she was._

 _"Stef?" the blonde heard the young girl soon say as she continued to rub her hand softly._

 _"MMm?"_

 _"How did you know I was here?" Callie now looked up into her foster mother's face as a warm smile took over it and she gently rubbed the side of the girls innocent face._

 _"Because this mama knows her little girl very well." she said as she let out a wink and Callie couldn't help but smile as she held onto Stef's arm tighter._

 _That night the teen stayed nestled in the cops arms for what seemed like a million hours as they both watched the beautiful California sunset that seemed to set just for them._


	24. Feelings

**This chapter contains adult subject matter. Enjoy loves!-Stef1981**

LENA POV

 _It was not like me to go behind my partners back. Ever, for Stef and I vowed to be open with one another, to share our feelings, to share our difficulties to share the thing we were troubled with. I was the one who had no issue with sharing any of it and I made an effort because I knew how hard it was for her too be open. It was next to impossible at times...and we both agreed that in order for us to work, in order for us to remain together, in love, inseparable we had no choice but to continue to keep our lines of communication wide open for one another, and that is what we did. This...this was no different but ..and I have never done anything like this before. Ever and I had no intended to do this, I had not intended to go behind her back, to keep this secret from her. I had not. No I was not cheating on her, never would I ever for that woman was my life, she was my soul, almost like we were zipped up in the same skin. But...I was doing something else that I knew I had no business doing. I knew it very well, and I also knew once she found out, once I told her she would be far beyond angry at me. Angry at me for opening up her past, angry at me for opening an old wound that she wanted to remain stitched forever. Angry at me for...for making a decision and choice for her. Angry at me for meeting...for meeting, Sharon Cooper. Angry enough to possibly...to possibly leave me._

 _I had read ever single letter that she had written to Stef and the one saying her father was gravely ill. I had no idea if he was still alive or not since the letter was dated back two years ago and it was the last one she had gotten. No I was not proud of it but I had read all twenty years worth that were not mine to read. Maybe because I was seeing the bond her and Callie were forming grow so strong on a daily basis. Stronger then anything as Callie called her Mama daily and refereed to her as such. Maybe because I saw her..I saw her healing Callie with her words, with her touch and with her affection and love. Maybe because I knew she was doing it because no one ever rescued her in the way she wanted...and maybe because there were still nights were she would fall asleep on me on the couch tossing and turning and wake up sweating from her own nightmares. I would feel her...I would feel her shake, I would feel her at times beg in her sleep to stop. I knew what she was asking..I knew what she was begging for, for she had said, "Dad please don't." She had said, "Mom please save me." She had said it. And I would hold her tight. I would hold her tighter then ever as those nights she refused to acknowledge ever happened. Ever. I knew at this present moment that I was making the choice for her to face her past..for her to deal with it and for her to heal from it. I was._

 _As the weeks and time went on I couldn't get the letters to leave my mind. I wanted to and I wished I had never opened any of them, but I had. I had opened them and the damage had been done. Being the person I was, and the feelings I had for my partner... I just needed to do something. I had to do something...so...so I had picked up the phone one afternoon and called Sharon. I called her. I remember her voice was soft and gentle and kind and she had cried...she had cried when I revealed who I was. She had cried when I told her a few things about Stef, how she was still a police officer, how she moved back to San Diego, how she was divorced and how she was ...well how we were together. I also couldn't help but reveal she had a foster child that she loved more then anything and that loved her. The more I told her the m ore she cried...she cried the entire two hours we spoke and she wanted to know more then anything what Stef looked like now, how she was, how she was feeling, everything. As we continued to talk over the next few weeks I developed a small relationship with Sharon and I could hear the pain she was harboring, the guilt, the worry the fear. Everything. I could also hear the deep love she had for Stef, the longing to see her again, the longing to hug her, the longing to build a relationship and once I emailed her a photo of Stef, of me and Stef, and one of Callie with Stef..she was silent for what seemed like hours. After a few moments she spoke._

 _"My beautiful baby...look at her. Shes so...shes so strong...shes more then I could ever imagine. She's so tough looking but so ...so kind at the same time. And the little girl...she...she looks so happy with her. Its..." she began to cry as I felt tears fall from my eyes._

 _I had then asked...what had become of Frank Cooper and she...she could only tell me he was still gravely ill, and that was coming to San Diego to see him one last time. He was dying. I sighed heavy to myself when I heard that. I did...and I had done what I thought was best. I did...I told her to fly to California and meet with me...I was not promising anything..but I knew I'd pay a very heavy price for it. More then I wanted._

 _As I sat in the coffee shop of the San Diego airport...my heart was racing and...and I could only feel guilt. I knew this was going to hurt her. I knew it was...and ...and the last time I had hurt Stef was...well right before we got together. I had hurt her and I had promised to never do it again._

 _ ***FLASHBACK**_

 _The beach had been rather chilly and I wasn't fully prepared for it that day. But I had needed to get out of my apartment and I needed to feel the fresh air for I had been cooped up in there for a week. I knew I was depressed or maybe I was tired or both. The relationship with Monte and I was ...I did't know what to do with it. I felt like I was staying in it out of obligation...out of doing the right thing...even if she had cheated and confessed to it..I didn't know what I ...what I wanted to do. I still had feelings for her that I believed ran deep but there was someone I could not get out of my mind. Someone who had occupied it for the last three weeks. Someone who had found there way deep inside my heart and soul, deep inside the person who I really was. Someone who had touched a part of me that had died. Someone that had opened it. Opened it for the world to see. Someone that had made me laugh, made my heart explode, made my mind feel at peace. I couldn't for the life of me get Stef out of my mind. Her smile, her voice, her...her presence. I couldn't and she was all I could...she was all I could think of. All day everyday since we had coffee a few weeks ago and had made it into a weekly outing to talk and check in on one another. Eventually it did carry over to the phone where...occasionally there were a few nights I couldn't sleep and I knew Stef was awake for she was working the night shift. I had to admit her voice was soothing and calming and...we would just laugh and joke about anything. But...the feelings.. I knew it was crazy for we had only shared a few afternoons together, a few phone calls and it all seemed...well it all seemed platonic and I knew no one could fall in love that fast. Or could they? But I could not understand these feelings. Why they were so strong, why they were so intense and what they meant. The feelings I had for Monte were no where near what these were, they didn't measure up not in the least and I found that...I found that conflicting. I was lonely, very lonely, and I was feeling incomplete, incomplete, and lost as my eyes wandered to the ocean waves across the boardwalk. Zoning out I envisioned walking with Stef on the sand our hands touching, our hands being one, or bodies...our bodies on top of one another...and..I was brought out of my thoughts by hearing someone call my name._

 _"Lena?" I heard once again and as I looked up I thought I had been dreaming...Stef was standing right in front of me..looking down and smiling. My heart, my heart stopped again just as it had done the first time I had laid eyes on her. This time her long beautiful blonde hair was out hanging past her shoulders as she was still dressed in her uniform drinking a blue frozen Slurpee it seemed. I...my mind was speechless and I wasn't able to even form two words together._

 _"Stef...my goodness..hi.." I said happily._

 _"Hey..been awhile huh?" she smiled as she took another sip of her blue drink._

 _"Yeah..since last week." I said smiling jokingly as she smiled as well._

 _"Would you like to sit...or I don't know if your working...I thought you only worked nights?" I questioned as I realized I knew her schedule pretty well._

 _"Oh...I picked up a couple of day shifts but I'm off duty thank god. Long day." she said sitting across from me now as I couldn't help but continue to smile wide at her and I could feel my headache come back on that I was feeling earlier in the day. Not that she was giving me one...if anything she had made my day once again even if that proved to be confusing._

 _"Are you ok?" she asked looking softly into my eyes which I was wondering if she could see the pain that remained in them and had taken over my body._

 _"Oh yeah...I...I just came to grade papers...had to get out of my apartment."_

 _"Understand. It's a nice day. Especially for the boardwalk." she took another sip as she looked out into the crowd and I couldn't help but stare at her beautiful and striking profile as she turned to look back at me._

 _"Are you sure you're ok love?"_

 _Her affectionate words stung my heart as I wondered if I should even open up this can. This can of worms._

 _"Lena?" I felt her...I felt and saw her place her hand on top of mine...like it was almost something she had always done...and I just couldn't figure out why and how she felt so familiar to me. I let out a sigh as I couldn't keep it in any longer and I knew I would not be able to hide it from her._

 _"No..I'm not. I'm not ok and every time I run into you I'm a complete basket case." I laughed as she let out concerned smile continuing to rub the top of my hand._

 _"What happened?"_

 _"Stef..I don't want to bother you any longer with my problems...you..you.."_

 _"You're not bothering me...and I can see you're upset Lena. Talk to me love."_

 _"I...I found out my girlfriend cheated on me with my best friend." I said shaking my head._

 _"Oh...well...that's not right."_

 _"Yeah...well..ironically my other best friend told me. Said she found them in bed together more the once and...it's just a mess and...to top it off she's my boss."_

 _"Goodness. That is certainly..." she trailed off._

 _"I told you..you didn't want to know." I couldn't help but laugh at my own drama._

 _"I mean I've decided to work it out...I don't know what to do..." I shook my head as I looked into her beautiful hazel eyes. Part of me felt guilty for sharing this...I did..because I was so clearly attracted to this woman. I was so very much and I...I had a feeling she was to me as well...which only intensified my guilt._

 _"You know what forget I said anything I shouldn't be telling you this and..."_

 _"Lena...if you love her..and you can get past it ...working it out is not an issue. Some couples can get past those things...others...others can't. But i'll be honest I don't know who in their right mind would cheat on you. I'm never one to hold back but...I think you deserve better...and not stay in something out of obligation..I felt obligated to stay with my ex husband for 20 years. He was a wonderful man just the wrong gender." she said letting out a laugh as I looked to her shocked._

 _"You...20 years you hid that you were gay?" I said but not shocked as I knew many women who had done the same...but I was surprised that she was revealing this for the first time as we had talked many times over the last few weeks and she never uttered a word about it._

 _"Yeah..well I was confused I'd say for most of my life..or maybe just too scared to realize what I was or what my true feelings were. I mean I know now...but I had to admit them." she said looking down now and away from my eyes._

 _"How did he take it?" I asked._

 _"Mm relatively well. He's my partner actually." she said smiling._

 _"Oh...and..it's not weird?"_

 _"MM no...it's actually not. It's good to work with someone that knows you and you know them. I mean we've been on the force together since we were 18...well I was barely 18."_

 _As I sat there listening to every word she said and took in all she said...my mind and soul began to calm. They began to calm even more as we soon took a walk on the boardwalk and I found myself finding it hard to speak even more as she fully encompassed all my emotions all my feelings and that rage of passion filled my body. The sun was beginning to set as somewhere during the time our bodies had moved closer to each other as we sat on the bench overlooking the water. My head had leaned gently on her shoulder...as she had then...she had then put her arm around me...and I felt her heart beating. I felt it beating as I smelled her...I smelled all of her and wanted to smell even more..I wanted to feel her...I wanted her to touch me...I did...as I had no idea how we ended up in this position on the bench for everyone to see. I couldn't help...I couldn't help but lift my head closer to hers...as the sun had gone down now and...and we looked in each others eyes...her soft strong eyes, her beautiful face,...as we leaned in...leaned in closer and ...I felt her lips on mine. I felt them as she placed her hand on my cheek and I placed mine on hers. Gently she kissed me, and I kissed her gently back. We kissed for what seemed like years, centuries and decades...neither of us stopping it or wanting it to end. Ever...As we pulled away and leaned our faces on each other..I felt her breathe slowly...as I did as well..and the only sound to interrupt us was my phone as I quickly dug it out my pocket to see Monte's name flash across. Guilt ran through my body as I got up quickly._

 _"Stef...I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that...I shouldn't have kissed you...it was a mistake..and..just us talking and the phone calls..." I said as she got up to face me._

 _"Lena..I..." Stef gently touched my arm as I didn't know ...I didn't know what I was doing._

 _"Stef...I'm not the kind of person who cheats...and I...I can't be around you. I can't..you..Your too dangerous and you cloud my thinking."_

 _I looked into her face now and it was pained. It was pained and I had not meant to pain her. She had ...she had been there...she had..I loved her. I loved her and it was..it was confusing me. It was and I needed to get away from her..._

 _"Lena..how..._

 _"Stef lets just forget we met. Forget it."_

 _"Forget?" she said as I could hear the hurt in her voice..._

 _"I can't just forget Lena...I can't do that. I'm not trying to ruin your relationship...I'm not but...but I..I love you..." she said looking passionately in my eyes as she admitted her feelings right there in public. I knew that wasn't easy...I knew it wasn't..._

 _"No..you're not...you've never been with a woman..I'm probably just...just a crush..." I said harshly as I could see she was taken aback my my words._

 _"What? How can you say that? How can you say you're a crush...I know my feelings...I know them Lena and...my feelings are real...you feel nothing?" she said moving closer to me._

 _"No..we can't...we cant.. I can't Stef.."_

 _"I can't see you..I have no feelings for you Stef..I don't." I looked to her face and...she was crushed. She was crushed beyond belief and..her eyes began to water._

 _"Fine...fine." she said softly looking down...as a few moments later she walked away...she walked away and I let her._

 _I broke her heart and I broke mine. I had burned a bridge that was being built...I had..I had ran away in fear...I had ran away like a coward...and I..I regretted every second of it for over the next few days..I was dead inside. More dead then I ever was for..this woman who I had only met with a few times, who I started to build a friendship with and had become apart of my life, a women who I had given more of my heart to then anyone I had ever before as the hurt she had on her face that night on the boardwalk was more then I could muster...and the thought that I had done that...that I had stomped on her heart..killed me. When I had seen her in the coffee shop a mere week later...what was I to take it as...Take it as a sign...as I couldn't believe I was seeing her again, but this time I was not alone nor was she. Monte and I had decided to talk...decided to see what our next steps would be in our relationship. She wanted to move in together thinking the closeness would fix the scars, fix the pain, but my heart was not in it. It was not and as I continued to be in denial it was then I had seen Stef walk in with her partner. And my heart...my heart broke, my heart stopped and I no longer heard any words coming from Monte's mouth. Not one single word as my eyes, my mind my heart was all encompassed by Stef as I watched her order her coffee. I saw her smile, I saw her beautiful blonde hair hang in a long ponytail as I could only assume the guy she was with was the ex she spoke of for he was dressed in uniform as well. But she had not seen me. ...but I had seen her confidence, I had seen her strength, as I continued to hide in my shell. To hide my true and honest feelings. To hide and to admit that I was so strongly in love with her. I couldn't help but stare..stare even longer as she made her way to the door and...she saw me. She saw me and stopped as our eyes met...they met for what felt like a lifetime and then and there my heart broke...and her heart broke all over again as I wanted to run to her...I wanted to run after her..I wanted to kiss her...her face...her face that spoke 1000 words as I swallowed hard..and tears ran down as she looked away and walked out the door. My eyes followed her as I saw her from the window now get into her car and look behind right at me. I then took hold of my life...I took hold of it and ended my relationship for a women I barley knew. A women I had only spent four hours of my life with. Only four hours...as I knocked on her door at almost midnight. A few moments later she opened it...and I saw her standing there with her long wavy hair out, tank top and flannel pants on drinking a beer._

 _"Lena...what are you doing here and.." she said looking confused._

 _"Stef...I'm sorry to bother you this late and to show up at your door like this...I'm sorry and..I broke up with Monte." I spit it out._

 _"Lena...I don't want to be the cause for anything...you said so yourself let's just forget we ever met...that you have no feelings for me.. So I've forgotten."_

 _"Stef...I didn't mean that...I didn't and I'm sorry ...I'm sorry I hurt you...I...I'm in love with you. I'm so in love with you Stef and I can't stop thinking about you, I can't stop wondering about you, I can't I can't live without you...I have never felt this way about anyone and...I need you. I've always needed you and...I want to spend my life with you and I never do this...I'm not impulsive, I plan everything, I... I never have felt like this ever and...you caught me off guard...your smile...you beauty,, your laugh and everything about you I just..I love and.." I trailed off as I felt her grab my hand and lead me in her apartment closing the door behind me...It was then I felt her kiss my lips as my back now leaned against the door. Gently she undressed me as I pulled her shirt off and we made our way to her bedroom were she laid me on my back and slowly got on top of me..kissing me softly... kissing me passionately down my neck, over my bare breasts.. over my stomach, as her tongue soon licked each and every spot, rubbing my thighs, and kissing every part of my body leaving no area left untouched. Not one single one. I felt her soft skin...caressing her arms...her back...as she slide her fingers inside me...letting out soft moans as our bodies continued to glide on one another...She...she looked into my eyes and I had never..never seen anyone look at me the way she had. She...she looked at me like I was the only woman in the world for her, as if she loved me my entire life, as if she had been searching for me, and as I had been searching for her._

 _"Lena?"..she said as she continued to look into my eyes and gently rub the side of my face._

 _"Yes.."_

 _"I love you baby...I love you like..like no one else. I loved you from the time I first met you...and I will always love you."_

 _"I love you too...I Love you too my love." I said smiling as I could feel tears swell in my eyes and she let out an even softer smile as her hand continued to rub my cheek._

 _Rolling around in her soft sheets as we continued to let the hours go by I soon parted her legs and gently slide my tongue between them. Her body feeling limp as her head leaned off the bed and I heard her moan...I felt her body shake, I felt her body quiver as we rolled over once again and I gently pulled her beautiful blonde hair and felt it between my fingers...The smell of sex, the sweetness from it all filled the room as we found our way into the shower were we continued to make the most passionate love of our lives. Pressing me against the wall as the water continued to beat on our naked bodes my legs rested on her strong shoulders as she slide her tongue between my legs over and over and over again...as I soon found us kissing once again and I gently slide my tongue down her body now pressing her against the wall and licking her sweet...soft pussy..fingering her as she came all but three times._

 _As morning approached I found myself wrapped in her arms... Her strong arms and I looked up to her as her eyes moved to look into mine and she let out a soft smile. Never would I leave her.. Never would I betray her, never would I...ever._

 _"Stef" I whispered as I felt her rub my back softly._

 _"I will never hurt you again. Never."_

 _"I will never hurt you either baby." she said kissing the top of my head as I drifted to sleep._

 _ ***FLASHBACK ENDS**_

 _"Lena?" I heard a voice say as I came out of my memory. Looking up...I saw Sharon as she smiled wide at me._


	25. The Rebel

**UPDATED: I added a few more Stef/Callie bonding scenes to show the growth of their relationship!**

 _As the weeks continued to fly by for both Stef and Callie there relationship flourished and blossomed beautifully in more ways then one since that day Callie had almost ran away. To outsiders it was evident how truly close they had become and how much the teen began to allow herself to depend on the blonde in ways any child would on their parent. Stef herself noticed it happily and could feel how much more comfortable Callie was becoming for she no longer shyed away from talking her ear off, initiating hugs, holding hands or telling her on an almost hourly basis how much she loved her. In tern the blonde could only feel more love then she ever had and thoughts of making her home a permanent one for Callie had entered her mind fully for she wanted to adopt the young girl and saw her solely as her daughter, and not just some foster child. Truth was she never saw her as that, not in the least and Callie herself referred to the blonde as her mama and it was clear as day to everyone that she very much was. Over the course of there time together the two learned they were very similar, and found countless activities to enjoy together such as cooking meals together, going to movies, plays, picnics, bowling, skating and concerts almost weekly. Also each night Stef would also take the young girl to the beach to watch the sunset for this was the one place the teen loved more then anything as it allowed them to talk and the teen would fully open her heart to the blonde and Stef found herself admitting and sharing more of her past as well as for Callie began to ask her more and more of what she dealt with growing up. The teen could see, she could see it was a painful topic for her mother and it caused hesitation when asking which she fully understood._

 _"Stefs?" Callie asked as she spread avocado on her mother's bread slice and handed it to her smiling as her long curls which had grown out blew in the wind._

 _"Thank you love...Yeah Cals?"_

 _"Well... I was just wondering..." She hesitated as she dug her feet in the sand and smelled the ocean air but could clearly feel her mother's eyes on her as she dug her feet in even more._

 _"Yes love..what were you wondering honey..."_

 _"Well..."...she now wrote her name in the sand and her mother's in a heart as the blonde looked down to smile._

 _"Callie, don't hesitant love I told you you can ask me anything."_

 _"Well...mama...do you hate your father?. I mean for...for what he did to you...do you hate him?" The teen now looked up into her mothers face as she saw her expression change to one of slight pain that she was clearly trying to cover and the brunette felt instantly guilty for asking._

 _"I'm sorry I..."_

 _"No..no..don't be sorry. It's fine honey." she smiled reassuringly as her hand touched the teens face softly._

 _"But no love..I don't hate him...I mean...at one time I did...and growing up I did...yes I won't deny that..but as I got older I didn't want to carry that around inside me. I didn't want and don't want to be an angry person. Ya know?"_

 _Callie nodded in response._

 _"And..what...what about your mom. Do you hate her?" the teen questioned curiously._

 _"No love..I don't hate her either." the blonde smile softly as she looked to the ocean as she tried to fight the memories of her painful childhood and thought of the countless unopened letters from Sharon she had left in Lena closet. Buried._

 _"I don't know who my parents were...I mean they gave me up when I was born.." Callie shrugged her shoulders as she continued to assume the worst._

 _"But I guess I never meant much to anyone." she awkwardly laughed which Stef saw she had clearly picked up from her as she watched the young girl continue to make pictures in the sand._

 _"Callie...that is not true baby...and I think you know very well by now how much you mean to me and Lena." she said sternly as Callie still neglected to make eye contact with her._

 _"Callie?"_

 _"Yes mama?"_

 _"You heard me?"_

 _She nodded her head and the teen looked up and smiled as the blonde let out a smile herself._

 _"Baby..I unfortunately don't have a real reason as to why your birth parents gave you up...I mean I wish I could tell you and..answer all of those questions. I wish I could honey... But maybe they couldn't provide you with the life you needed...I know it hasn't been an easy life..but"_

 _"Well...just if they hadn't given me up I would have never met you..so I'm ok with it. I would go through all that pain again to be with you."_

 _She smiled as the blonde could only respond by grabbing her and hugging her tightly._

 _"No baby. That's not how it would go. I'd take all that pain for you. Each and every ounce of it so you would never feel it again...Oh sweetheart.. I wish I had found you as a baby. I would have taken you my love. I would have." she said kissing her softly._

 _With this Callie leaned in more to her mother and let her tears fall._

 _Despite Callie's tremendous growth the teen still had many issues and demons to face. Still plagued with horrific nightmares Stef had completely given up on trying to get the teen to sleep in her own room for every night around the same time she would wander into the blonde's room and crawl next to her mother quietly thinking the cop wouldn't notice. But Stef was an extremely light sleeper and could hear a mouse squeak...for she always heard Callie's feet on the wood floor as she ran from her room to Stef's almost as if something would come out and grab her in the dark, and quietly got in the bed next to her hiding under the covers._

 _"What's the matter baby?" the blonde would whisper without opening her eyes._

 _"I had a bad dream mama." Callie would respond softly as the blonde would roll over and take the young girl in her arms protecting her as she always did._

 _"I'm here babygirl. Mama's here." The blonde said softly kissing the girls forehead._

 _That was all the teen needed to drift back to sleep for the rest of the night._

 _Mike had also witnessed and observed Stef and Callie's relationship grow and had gotten to know the teen even more himself for she had tagged along with them sometimes at work even if the teen didn't find it as exciting as TV made it seem. She again feeling just as comfortable around Mike would ask endless questions._

 _"So when do we catch criminals mama?" she would ask as she sat in the back of the patrol car continuing to steal sips of Stef's coffee from the front cup holder._

 _"Callie...I hate to break it to you kid...our job isn't that exciting. Most days we don't even catch criminals. A lot of the time it's just disputes or tickets we give out." Mike responded as he couldn't help but laugh as Stef shook her head in laughter as well._

 _"Mama?"_

 _"Yes love?" Stef said smiling as she continued to patrol the area out her window._

 _"Do you ever do high speed chases or anything...I see that in the movies a lot...or blow up cars and stuff?" the girls eyes widened as the two let out a laugh once again and the teen proceeded to grab another sip of coffee from her mothers thermos but the cop grabbed the girls hand._

 _"I'll arrest you miss if you don't stop stealing my coffee." she winked as the girl let out a wide smile._

 _"Mike do you? Do you ever do high speed chases or blow stuff up?" Callie questioned again since her mother had not responded to her._

 _"Unfortunately nope. I wish though kid...But I mean to be honest we've taken down a few nasty people. Drug lords and stuff, especially back in Sacramento. And to be honest you're mother always got to them first. She's the tougher one."_

 _Callie let out wide smile as she thought of her courageous mother arresting and knocking down criminals and she also had witnessed just how tough she was on many occasions._

 _"I want to be like her." she said as the blonde found herself blushing in the passenger seat as the two spoke as if she wasn't there. Soon she felt Callie's hand once again next to her as the teen tried yet again to grab more coffee but the cop gently grabbed her hand and kissed it softly as she was softened by the compliment and the teen kissed her hand back._

 _I love you mama." then teen said proudly._

 _"I love you too babygirl." she said letting out a wider smile then ever._

 _"Well Callie..that a good person to aspire to be like. Definitely." Mike said as he couldn't help but look over at the two with a smile on his face as he continued to witness the sweet exchanges and relationship they had developed over the past few weeks._

 _Stef could only smile as she and Callie returned to look out the window and observe the area almost in an identical way._

 _Callie was not only excelling at home but in school and with the encouragement of both Lena and Stef she had signed up for photography club and had even made a few friends at Anchor Beach. Her grades which were once very very poor for she had missed so much school were continuing to grow with the help of a tutor Stef had hired and Lena's assistance. But it was no secret that Callie's needs cost much more then what the teens foster care checked payed monthly and to help cover Callie's additional expenses Stef without any hesitation soon took on countless extra shifts to pay for whatever she felt Callie needed. These included, a private tutor, guitar and swim lessons, a more experienced therapist, a new camera, and many other things all of which did not come cheap. Lena could clearly see Stef was spoiling the girl but could also see she was stretching herself very thin for she saw how tired she looked on a daily basis and also observed how difficult it was becoming for Callie to handle Stef's absence at night. It was these nights Lena couldn't get the girl to go to bed for anything as she laid awake all night refusing to sleep until her mother returned home. Eventually the two would pass out on the couch and it was only when the blonde came home around 5am that Callie would crawl into bed with her and fall asleep. Lena could only watch as the teen snuggled closely to her mother not letting go for anything as they slept all but two hours before Callie would need to wake up for school and Stef for work once again._

 _However, the teen was wondering why her mother began working much more and began to suspect it was because of her, that it was her fault as she overheard the two women speaking one night._

 _"Stef I don't mind helping...we agreed we would take care of Callie together...and that means financially as well. You don't need to work so much overtime." Callie heard Lena say as she stood by the doorway of her room. She did't mean to eavesdrop on them as they sat at the kitchen table speaking as they assumed she was fast asleep in Stefs room._

 _"It's fine love..I can handle it. I use to work over 70 hours a week at one point." she said going over the bills that never seemed to end nowadays._

 _"Well, yes but you weren't a mother then and didn't need to balance your time and.."_

 _"Lena it's fine love. I will find a way. My main priority is that Callie has what she needs. Lord knows she never has."_

 _"Stef how behind are you?"_

 _"Lena..."_

 _"Honey please.."_

 _"Lena..look they raised my rent a little and there are just a few things I need to catch up on and ...I will be fine." Callie could only feel guilty as she continued to listen._

 _"How much did they raise your'e rent by..and why didn't you tell me?"_

 _"Lena its fine."_

 _"Stef..."_

 _"By a few hundred."_

 _"Stef why didn't you tell me...I can give you the money..I..don't mind."_

 _"Lena...I don't want it please. I have it."_

 _"Baby I don't know why you won't accept my help. I..you just..you look so tired honey...and you can't afford to be tired in your job."_

 _"Sleep is overrated...and I'll sleep when I'm dead."_

 _"Stef.. let me pay for something please honey. I know you just got her that new guitar and camera, and the tutor, and, that private therapist.., or let me cover the over half of your rent. I know foster care doesn't pay much."_

 _"Lena..please."_

 _"Stef I'm sure Callie would be ok if you cut back on some things. I think more then anything she just wants to be with you Stef."_

 _"Babe..these are things she needs and things I want her to have. She's been deprived her entire life. And I won't do that to her. If I have to work everyday I will. It's just until I can catch up. It's fine love. It's fine."_

 _As Callie walked slowly back to her room she quietly closed her door and sat on the bed and could only feel guilt take over her. This wasn't what she wanted. This wasn't what she wanted at all...and she vowed she wouldn't ask for anything, that she wouldn't need anything and that she would take care of herself. She would...she would sell the camera, she would sell the guitar, she didn't like swimming anyway she said trying to convince herself..and she didn't need some fancy therapist that she fought Stef on having to see weekly anyway. She didn't. She would do what she needed to do. She could take care of herself...she had all her life and she would ...she would survive on her on terms again._

* * *

 _As the teen packed up her bag from her last class still with the conversation she had overhead last night floating around in her head she couldn't help but hear the chatter and laugh of a few girls behind her. Thinking nothing of it until more girls crowded around and a few guys as she turned her head to see them all looking at her laughing. Unaware of what they were poking fun at she tried to brush it off._

 _"I think the crimson wave came." she overheard one girl say as they all started to laugh._

 _"Gross...ever here of a tampon." she heard another say as she could only..she could only think of one thing. But no...no not now she thought to herself. Not now..no..she thought slamming her locker shut and heading to the girls bathroom. But it was true. It was there as big as day a big mess right on the back of her jeans. What Stef didn't know nor Lena was Callie was a late bloomer. She had never gotten her cycle before and had faked all these years and all these months for fear of being made fun of. For fear of looking like a freak for most of the girls she had grown up with had started when they were 12..and here she was at 15 just getting it. She felt the cramps, she felt the bloatedness and she...she felt like a loser...She grabbed her backpack and sat in the stall of the ladies room and...and thought about calling her foster mom but...but she couldn't. She didn't want to bug her with one more thing, with one more expense. Even if Stef had never uttered a word about money to her, or that it was even an issue, she had always provided her with it, provided her with everything she needed and more, but the guilt of seeing her work more was, was weighing heavy on her. She slowly wiped the tears from her eyes as she wrapped toilet tissue around her underwear and tied her jacket around her waist. Again feeling bad for messing up the new jeans Stef had gotten her she was also nauseous from skipping lunch for the money the blonde had given her she had not used it. She would return it, she would return it all. The teen thought about telling Lena, she did for she promised Stef she would talk to either of them...but she saw how tired she was as well..and she just didn't want to bother her. She didn't. Slowly walking out the bathroom as the halls were clear she made her way out the back entrance and turned her phone off. Something she promised her foster mother she wouldn't do. But she did. She turned it off._

 _As she began to make the walk to a part of town that was much furthur away from the school and where she lived for she didn't want to risk running into Stef...Callie did something only the old Callie Jacobs would do to survive. She stole. She stole not because...not because she wanted to be a thief..not because it was something she liked doing but she didn't want to add to anymore stress that she knew her foster mother was feeling. Or so she assumed for Callie didn't realize how the blonde would provide whatever she needed and she also didn't realize Stef was beginning to save for her college for she was deciding and discussing with Lena that she would want to adopt Callie. As the young innocent girl made her way into a horrible section of San Diego she walked in a convenience store and made her way to the aisle with feminine napkins. Hoping to pick out the cheapest ones she sneakily stuffed a small bag into her knapsack. Thinking she had successfully stolen them she proceeded to make her way out but as luck would have it the store owner had seen her and Callie upon opening the door had bumped right into Mike Foster. The teen couldn't believe her luck...she just..she couldn't as she knew very well if Mike was here that Stef was most likely somewhere close by._

 _"Shit." she mumbled to herself._

 _"Callie...what are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously for he knew she should be in school and was wondering what she was doing in this shitty part of town that she had no business being in._

 _"Officer I want her arrested... I saw her steal...I saw her!" the store owner said as he pointed to the young girls bag as Mike looked down to Callie who refused to make eye contact._

 _"Ok, ok just relax..." he said putting his hand out to calm the owner a bit._

 _"Just tell me what happened?"_

 _"I saw her..I saw her take from me..thief..thief she is check her!" he said coming around the corner now and trying to grab Callie's backpack as the young girl grew angry._

 _"Hey..get off dammit!" the feisty teen yelled as she pulled her bag back from the man._

 _"Hey..hey..relax and take your hands off her..that's not how we solve it. Not at all."_

 _"Callie..whats going on? Did you take something?" He asked hesitantly and as the teen could feel her stomach turning._

 _"She stole!" the store owner yelled again._

 _"Sir relax...please..I need to hear her side as well." Mike said as Callie was more tempted then anything to run..to make a break for it ..to make a break for it badly but she didn't know where to go and she didn't want to risk running into Stef but she..she didn't know how to answer for if Mike checked her bag he would see it. He would see she stole._

 _"Callie?" he asked gently._

 _"Look I'm sorry...I...just please don't tell my mama.. please." she begged as Mike could see she was clearly confessing to stealing and his eyes softened._

 _"Ahh Callie..." he shook his head._

 _"That's not something I can keep from your mother. It's just not."_

 _'I told you officer arrest her!"_

 _"Sir...look ...maybe we can solve this without anyone getting arrested...did you see her put the contents in her bag?_

 _"Yes I saw her..saw her on my mirror and camera!"_

 _Mike sighed to himself and he turned to look at the teen._

 _"Cal?" he held his hand out as the teen dug in her bag and handed him the bag of pads. Mike looked at it and let out a sigh and almost blushed._

 _"I told you! I told you. A thief!"_

 _"Yeah..." Mike began but was interrupted as he heard the door open to the store._

 _"What the hell is taking so long did you go to Columbia to get the damm coffee beans?" Stef said jokingly as she was shocked to see Callie standing there with a look of guilt and worry on her face. Callie could feel her stomach almost turn upside down as she was not only struggling with the cramps, and nausea but she knew more then anything how much trouble she was in. Her eyes grew fearful as Stef looked directly at her and walked over demanding an explanation. But Callie couldn't tell her...she couldn't she couldn't._

 _"Callie? Do you care to explain to my why you are not in school and why, why on earth you are even in this part of town?" she questioned sternly as she could feel her impatience and worry grow for Callie was more then an hour away from home and school._

 _"A thief you have here. A thief! Caught her stealing..stealing from me. I told your partner to arrest her. She gave it to him. Gave to him what she stole!" he yelled yet again._

 _"Oh.. you must have the wrong girl..my daughter doesn't steal." Stef said letting out an awkward laugh as she turned to Mike who's face confirmed what the owner said was true. He nodded and she turned quickly to look at her daughter._

 _"Callie, please tell me this is not true.?" the teens eyes remained on the floor as she couldn't bare to look in Stef's eyes. She couldn't._

 _"Callie... answer me now." her voice was stern as she didn't blink one bit and the teen had still neglected to look or respond as she swallowed hard as she continued to feel Stef's anger increase which had never been directed at her before._

 _"You have a thief..You have a thief and..." the owner said pointing to the young girl once again as Stef's eyes looked to him and just as she was about to respond Mike stepped in for he knew her nerves were frazzled._

 _"Sir...listen...if we return to you what she stole is it possible to let her go? She won't set foot in this store ever again and I'll see to it. You have my word." Mike said as the shop owner looked to him and the young scared girl. Who he could now see was truly scared._

 _"Don't want to see here ever in here again or I will press charges!"_

 _"That's fine and I understand. But I promise you won't ever see her again." Mike said as the owner had taken back what the girl had stolen and returned it to the shelf._

 _"Callie...I want an answer...and I'm not asking you...I want an answer now...because I am loosing patience." the cop was even more angry as she gently placed her hand under the girls chin lifting up her face as Callie's eyes looked into her. The teen could see that Stefs eyes weren't the soft sensitive ones she was use too..not at all for...for they were mad. They were madder then she had ever seen them and her old fears began to haunt her. They surfaced and they began to take over...as she..she waited for the smack across her face..she waited as her eyes moved to Mike's who looked worried and back to Stef's who remained upset._

 _"Now Callie!" she yelled..and the teen she felt...she felt the hurt. She felt it inside her...for she she stole to help. She stole too help and..._

 _"I stole ok. I stole." she admitted as Stef let out a sigh and continued to observe her daughter. Even If Mike had told her, even if the shop owner had told her..hearing it from her daughter's mouth was ..was hard to believe._

 _"Why Callie...why on earth would you steal...haven't I told you if you needed something to tell me, to ask me, to leave me a note if you feel you can't ask me. Haven't I told you that my love. Why baby?" She said in a frustrated but concerned tone as here voice had softened._

 _"I stole ok so just forget it dammit!" With this response Stef's eyes widened as well as Mikes for Callie had never spoken to her so disrespectfully before and she had no idea where it was coming from. Not one clue but she also knew she couldn't in anyway let the girl get away with speaking to her in such a way. Never._

 _"Callie... I think you better watch it young lady, you watch how you speak to me for you're in enough trouble as it is and talking to me like that will not help your case at all. Not one bit." She said leaning into the teen._

 _Callie's eyes were harsh now...as Stef saw them turn harsh...and confusion..confusion was all she could feel. But the teen had seen how angry she made her...she did and she...she would protect herself...she would._

 _"I can talk to you however I want." Callie boldly said as Stef's eyes were wider then they ever had been..and Mike was speechless himself and with this the blonde lost her temper. Not enough or ever enough to strike the girl for she never would but she lost her temper verbally._

 _"Callie, get in the car. NOW!" she yelled louder then she ever had pointing in the direction of the car as the teens face grew more angry for she was already angry at herself for disappointing Stef. She was._

 _"Why?" she questioned in a nasty tone as her body language had grown defensive._

 _"Why?! Because I said so that's why! You don't get to question me. Now get in the damm car."_

 _The teen didn't move as she continued to stare even more harshly at Stef seeing just how far she could go._

 _"Now Callie! Now before I put you in there myself!" she screamed loud enough for almost the entire block to hear hear even Mike was shocked at how loud she had yelled. Of course the cop would in no way physically hurt the girl but she would if she needed grab a stern hold on her arm and put her in the car herself for she was being horribly stubborn._

 _"Whatever Stefanie! Just whatever!" she yelled back harshly for she knew how rude, and disrespectful she was really being. She knew it very well as she continued to press her mother's buttons as Stef turned around to face the disrespectful teen as her eyes turned cold._

" _Callie.." Mike warned as he soon felt the need to jump in himself but his ex had cut him off ..._

 _"Callie don't you say another word! Don't you dare young lady for I get the last word! Mama gets the last word. Do you understand me?" She was furious as they both stared at each other with more intensity then ever. The air was filled with it._

 _"Oh..you're not my mother...and you're certainly not my mama!You're just another foster parent who I don't give a crap about!" the teen scowled as she exited the store more angry then ever._

 _"Callie" Mike yelled as he quickly ran after her._

 _But..Stef..she could do nothing but stand there as she was completely shocked, completely frozen, and utterly heartbroken beyond belief for Callie's words had stung, they had stung hard like nothing else ever had._


	26. Miscommunication

**Hi all! Just so you know I added a few more Cal/Stef scenes to the Rebel chapter. (the previous chapter) To show more of their growing relationship. So if you want you can go back and read it.**

 **In this chapter I know some of you won't be happy with what Lena did. I know it already. LOL. But we will see!**

 **Thanks for reading loves! -Stef1981**

 _LENA POV_

 _"Lena, I just...I just want to thank you for meeting with me. I don't know how to thank you." Sharon said as she sat across from me at the airport cafeteria. Her expressions were so similar to Stef's as well as her tone...it was..it was comforting as all I could do was return the smile she had given me even if I was feeling more guilty then ever. But I brushed it off for the moment as my eyes remained focused on Sharon._

 _"You're welcome ...but if I'm honest I haven't mentioned any of this to Stef...she..she doesn't know." I admitted._

 _"I figured, and I understand the hesitation. I do and I know you are..well you are taking a big risk. I know it wasn't an easy choice for you, or an easy choice to keep such a secret from her."_

 _'No..it's not. Not at all...Stef and I...well we don't keep secrets from one another so I am definitely breaking one of our promises." I sighed as I took a sip of tea as the red headed woman looked concerned at me._

 _"Lena..." she began as she placed her hand on top of mine softly and I couldn't help but look into her hazel eyes that displayed so much pain, so much pain, years of pain, agony and guilt. I could see it written on her face, I could see it as her voice began to break at the mere mention of her daughter._

 _"I don't want to cause a rift in your relationship with my daughter. I don't want to be the cause of that...but..as scared as I am, as nervous as I am, I have thought about her for the past twenty years each and everyday. Nothing but her..nothing..I just I just want the chance to tell her how sorry I am, how sorry I am about the choices I made, the bad choices for I made enough of them to last a lifetime." She said shaking her head as she wiped a tear from her eyes._

 _"Sharon..we have all made mistakes in life. We have...and...I'm no different, my parents have made mistakes, Stef has made mistakes. ...I guess it's just a matter of what we learn from them, and how...well." I trailed off._

 _"Tell me something Lena, is my daughter happy? I just need to know." she looked at me intensely._

 _"Sharon, she is. She is very happy. We are happy together and with Callie." I said smiling wide as if I knew anything I knew that._

 _"Good. I'm so glad...I know it took her a long time to find it." she took another sip of her coffee as I nodded in agreement._

 _"And...what is she like Lena? What is...what is my babygirl like?"_

 _I let out a smile as I thought of my partner._

 _"Sharon..she is...she is the most amazing person ever. She is strong, confident, kind, sensitive, generous, protective...She has the most contagious laugh and smile ever...She's just amazing. She's my heart, my life." I said wiping the tears that had fallen down my face as the red head looked deeply into my face taking in every word I said about her daughter who I knew she loved more then anything as well._

 _"I knew she would make a woman very happy one day, once she admitted who she really was." she said as I looked to her surprised._

 _"Oh...you knew..."_

 _"Yes. I always knew...but I just...I never encouraged her to be herself...never because...well that was my fault I suppose. I was the weak one, I was a weak mother then. Very and with her father and everything..I just didn't do what I needed to do for her. I should have...I should have protected her from him."_

 _I continued to listen._

 _"I know she's angry. She was angry when she left. Furious...just..."_

 _"Sharon I won't lie as I'm not that kind of person but...yes..she is angry...and she is very much struggling with it she is...even if she...well she doesn't like to admit it.."_

 _"I know. Stefanie is very...she's very reserved and...well when she was a little girl she was open, alive, silly. And we were close. Me and my baby..we were. But...once her father began drinking and smacking me around and her it just...it changed both of us. It did and she shut off. I haven't been able to talk to her since she was about 8. That's the last real conversation I had with her. And that 8 year old never...she never was the same...as she grew into a teenager...she was ...rebellious, caught her smoking pot many times, she drank. I knew she was sneaking out to be with Mike. I knew she was staying over his place...but I was in such a bad state I would have rathered her stay with him then be at home because I knew she was safe with him and he would protect her. Frank was...he was unpredictable, and dangerous. He was. I was...I was weak, I was tired and Stefanie was...she was a fighter. Always has been." I nodded in agreement for that is truly what my partner was. A fighter and I saw it more and more everyday. She had unfortunately been fighting her way through life. And that was what I saw her trying to break for Callie who had been fighting her entire life as well._

 _"She mostly certainly is a fighter Sharon...and stubborn, and a piece of work." I laughed._

 _"Well I didn't expect that to change. I knew she was stubborn from the time she came out of me. Do you know she was born with broken shoulder because she fought her way out? Had to wear a little cast. Poor little thing."_

 _"Why does that not surprise me one bit." I said shaking my head and letting out a tiny laugh._

 _"It shouldn't." she smiled back at me as I could see more questions written on her face._

 _"Lena...tell me what...what kind of mother is she?"_

 _"She's...wow...shes so nurturing..very nurturing, supportive just...she's so supportive of that little girl I mean...anything she needs she gets her. She's attentive, and she..she gets her to talk. No one has gotten Callie to say more then Stef has and and that little girl brings out sides of Stef I've never seen. But my girlfriend spoils her." I laughed as a smile remained on Sharon's face the more I spoke._

 _"And ..she's just so affectionate...I mean extremely affectionate..they hold hands constantly, they hug all the time and cuddle. I mean if Stef is in the room you know Callie is too because she doesn't let her out of her site. Ever. And just the way Stef talks to her..she's so gentle and every word out of her mouth is..I love you babygirl, I love you my baby...my love, my whatever name she can think of that has some sweet tone to it...and Callie is...Callie calls her mama. That's just it. Stef is her mama and you can't tell her any different. They are very much cut from the same cloth." I admitted as I smiled warmly thinking of the pair who had truly become mother and daughter before my eyes._

 _As I looked into Sharon's eyes...I saw them filled with tears and she wiped them._

 _"I knew she would be a wonderful mother once she allowed herself to be. I knew that...and ..I...I would love to meet Callie." she bent her head down._

 _"Look...I can't promise anything Sharon...I just can't...and I know how furious Stef is gonna be. I know she is but...would you like to come back with me to her place?" I said as I knew I was loosing my mind at this point. I really had._

 _"Oh Lena...I..I don't want to do that to you...I don't want to break up your relationship with Stefanie over this. I could just..I could just show up at the precinct one day and act like I found her myself."_

 _"Sharon, Stef and I have a strong enough relationship that...that this would not in any way jeopardize it. Yes she will be furious with me. I know she will but...I think you should tell her about her father especially since he..he doesn't have much time."_

* * *

 _The car ride had been eerily silent as neither Stef or Callie had uttered a single word after the blonde had dropped Mike at the station. The cop had even neglected to answer the phone calls Lena had made to her for she just couldn't speak and didn't want to. She couldn't speak one word for her heart was broken in a million pieces and she was incredibly angry. Not only angry but she was incredibly disappointed in the girl for stealing, for they had come such a long way, a very long way and it was the last thing she expected from her for she provided her daughter with everything she needed. But to be honest she could handle it, she could handle the fact that she had stolen, she could. What the blonde could not handle was what the teen had said to her. That she was simply just another foster parent that she didn't give a crap about, that she was most certainly not her mother, not her mama. No matter how strong the blonde appeared to be those hurtful phrases continued to replay in her mind over and over again for the teen had become her heart, and her soul, they had become each others heart and soul. So close they had become that the teen had even refereed to herself as Callie Stefanie Marie for she said when she moved to a permanent home she wanted to take a part of Stef with her. That had warmed the cop more then anything but she had yet to tell the girl she every intention of adopting her. But she wasn't sure the girl would want it, that the girl wanted her._

 _Callie herself had not looked once at her mother as her eyes remained looking out the window for she could still feel the cramps creep up in her stomach even more and she realized she was probably in need to change her clothes. The day had been long and she had not wanted it to turn out this way. She really didn't as she could feel her heart break as well. She knew very well she had hurt Stef, she knew it as she thought back to the last few months with her. How they had been the most amazing months of her entire life, and nothing in her life had ever ever come close to that. Ever. Nothing had come close to how she felt about her, nothing came close to how much she meant to her, and just thinking about it brought tears to her eyes. However, she was pretty sure after this that Stef would certainly send her back, no matter how strong there bond had grown. She already had made her broke, she had already added a headache to her life and now she was causing even more trouble. Any minute now she would tell her when they got back to the apartment to pack her shit and leave. She knew it as she tried so hard to ignore the heartache as she now glanced over to the woman who had become her mother and her life. She had and she wanted more then anything to be like her, she wanted to stay with her, she wanted to be Callie Foster. But that would never happen. It wouldn't no matter what as the blonde felt the girls eyes on her and she looked over. Callie quickly turned her head back to the passenger window as she continued to grab her stomach in pain and the expressions on her face did not go unnoticed by her very observant mother._

 _"I have ibuprofen in my bag." Stef said sternly as she could clearly see the teen was in pain, among other things but Callie remained silent._

 _"I know you have cramps. Take two I have water in my bag as well."_

 _"I don't need anything from you. I can take care of myself." The teen snapped back._

 _"Oh like you did earlier by stealing?" Stef snapped back. "Is that what you call taking care of yourself Callie?"_

 _The teen failed to answer as the frustration grew more and just as Stef was about to continue her phone rang yet again as she saw another call from Lena. She knew she should pick it up for the curly haired woman had been calling for hours._

 _"Whatever." The teen said under her breath but Stef heard it loud and clear as she let out a loud sigh and would address it once she hung up the phone._

 _"Hi love." she answered._

 _"Stef..I've been trying to reach you...Callie is..." Lena said in a nervous tone._

 _"She's with me."_

 _"Goodness..why didn't you tell me?" Lena said frantically._

 _"I'm sorry it slipped my mind. I apologize." she said usually calm as she could feel the constant headache continue to build up._

 _"Whats wrong honey?" Lena said as she could clearly sense something was wrong by her tone._

 _"Nothing...I'll see you later babe ok? I can't talk and drive."_

 _"Stef...don't do that. Don't shut me out please...what happened honey?"_

 _"You don't need to stay over with Callie I'm not going to work tonight." she said and upon hearing this Callie rolled her eyes as she continued to fight back the love she so deeply had for this woman._

 _"Stef...what happened?"Lena pleaded._

 _"Babe I'll talk to you later ok...I love you." With this she hung up without letting Lena finish which she never did as she always waited for the brunette to say she loved her as well. But she knew she was closing herself off. She could feel it as she continued to look to the road ahead and let out a loud sigh of frustration forgetting about Callie's rude comment when she had picked up the phone. Yes she was tired, yes she was exhausted, and yes being Callie's foster mother was definitely difficult, challenging and downright draining at times but she in no way way was giving up even if she could clearly see Callie was expecting her too. The blonde however as much as she didn't want the help, as much as she wanted to resist it she might need more of it then she wanted to admit. She couldn't help but feel her efforts were..weren't doing much. Or maybe they were but...she hadn't fully accessed all the pain her daughter had experienced, all the trauma, all the neglect, all the abuse, all the shattered trust. They hadn't even gotten to the core of what she had been through and merely scratched the surface for there was much much more to the teens life that she had not shared. The cop knew this very well and it wasn't that she didn't expect her to rebel at times, or to talk back for that was just normal and typical of any teenager but she could clearly see on the look of the teens face it was very much directed at her. Just as her anger had been directed at her own mother when she was a teenager, Sharon Cooper._

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

 _"Stefanie Marie Cooper please come eat...honey the food is getting cold." Young Stefanie heard her mother yell as she puffed on the cigarette she had started to smoke and consumed the rest of the whiskey from hanging with Mike last night as she sat on the roof outside her window. She was enjoying the time before her father would soon get home a time of day she hated more then anything as she let the California sun shine on her skin and the new tattoo she had gotten on her inner thigh was fully exposed. Looking down the block she saw Mike working on his car. If she looked to the right she could see Rebecca who she had hung out a few times with and had to admit caught her eyes more then Mike did as confusing as that was for her. But she let it slide as she let out a soft smile and took another puff of the stolen cigarettes she coped from the local store._

 _"Stefanie...what on earth?.." she heard her mother say as she had walked into the room and noticed what her rebellious 17 year old daughter was doing. The teen burnt the cigarette out and placed the bottle of whiskey on the flat part of the roof as she tried to wave the smoke away with her hand as she climbed back in the room._

 _"Ever hear of knocking?" She said rolling her eyes as she plopped on the bed._

 _"And I told you I hate being called Stefanie. Just Stef."_

 _"I named you Stefanie Marie and that is what I will call you. Stef...is a name for your friends...and do you always have to be so pleasant?" she said as she spelled the horrible stench of smoke from the girl and picked up the clothes her daughter had thrown all over the floor._

 _"And when will you clean up this room..I can barely see the floor."_

 _"What do you care?"_

 _"I will once again ignore your attitude but ...Stefanie..please..please tell me...are you trying to kill yourself baby? Your lungs..and me at that?" Sharon said as she saw the pack of lucky strike on the girls dresser and could only shake her head. She knew very well her daughter was not only smoking but drinking which she did not want for her. She didn't no matter how troubled their home life was._

 _"Oh yeah mother I'm trying to kill you, definitely." The teen said as she laid her back on the bed and looked to the ceiling and tracing her name in the air._

 _"Honey...smoking will...will take you right out of here. It's not a habit you want to.."_

 _"Really? " the teen said sitting up now with more anger in her voice then anything._

 _"You're more worried about cigarettes killing me and not your husband killing me. Typical." she said getting up now feeling more angry then anything as she slide her foot into her flip flops._

 _"Stefanie..look honey..." Sharon said getting up and placing herself in front of the young blonde as she towerded over her. She wondered when her babygirl had gotten so tall._

 _"Baby...I'm sorry about what has been going on...and..and I'm saving up money for us to leave...to get out of here." she placed her hand on the young girls face much to the girls resistance._

 _"Sure. I've heard that a million times."_

 _"I am honey...I am..I don't want him to continue to hurt us. To hurt you...and too..." she pleaded as she could see the elevated frustration in her daughter._

 _"Mom..hes been hitting me since I was a little girl. Now you give a crap? Please. I don't need you to take care of me. Ok? I can take care of myself just fine like I've been doing without having to worry about someone kicking my ass. I don't need you!"_

 _The teen yelled pushing passed her mother as she grabbed her bag._

 _"Stefanie where are you going...I don't want us to fight like this honey..babygirl please.."_

 _"Lay off mom! I said I don't need you!" she said running down the steps as Sharon followed behind._

 _"Stefanie!" but it was too late as she watched the teen slam the front door behind her._

 _ **FLASHBACK ENDS**_

 _"I'm not a baby." Callie finally let out angrily pulling Stet out of her memory and she let out a loud sigh._

 _"I never said you were."_

 _"Then I don't need Lena watching me at night and I don't need you. Go to work for all I care Stef."_

 _"Clearly you do need someone to watch you since you take it upon yourself to go on these little trips out of town and pocket things that don't belong to you...which doesn't make sense to me because I always make sure you have money on you in case of an emergency..which this clearly was."_

 _"Whatever." Stef hated that word more then anything._

 _"Keep that attitude up with me and ya'll be grounded for the remainder of your teen years. Don't try me." she said failing to make eye contact with her daughter._

 _"Please as if I'll be here that long with you. I hope not." she said folding her arms._

 _Stef now turned her head to look at the teen who was looking out the window as she pulled up into her apartment complex. Turned the car off facing the young girl as she continued to feel the frustration in her body more then anything as it was at it's highest level._

 _"Callie...I don't know what happened between this morning and the store...I have no idea but I don't like it...and I'm sick and tired of your attitude. It ends now young lady! I don't care how you see me, I don't care if you don't see me as your mother anymore, or that you don't care about me, I don't..but in no way will you continue to be disrespectful, rude, and a thief. Its not happening and I won't let it happen. I refuse to let you go down that path."_

 _Callie said nothing as she continued to stare in front of her. She was equally frustrated._

 _"Now I assume you need these." Stef handed her a bag of maxi pads that she had purchased for the teen at the convenience store._

 _"I don't need anything from you." Callie continued in a nasty tone._

 _"Well tough shit! Take them and that's the end of it. Enough!"_

 _"I hate living with you!" The teen yelled as she grabbed her things and slammed the car door behind her as Stef immediately got out the SUV and slammed the door herself making her way up to the apartment to set this damm kid straight._

 _"Callie Stefanie Marie don't you dare walk away from me like that when I'm talking to you! Don't you dare young lady!" she yelled louder then ever as she stormed into her apartment._

 _"That is not my name! No way I don't want to be named after you!" The teen yelled as the two stood face to face now and the blonde continued to feel nothing but hurt the more Callie yelled. But damm if she was going to show it and the teen knew very well how hurtful she was being to the woman who had given her everything in the last few months. She knew it._

 _"Callie...I'm am so stick and tired of your attitude! Now you get in that damm room and don't you dare think about coming out until I tell you! I don't want to see you for the rest of the night! Is that understood!"_

 _"Fine! I don't want to see you ever again anyway!"_

 _"Callie now!" she screamed pointing in the direction of the teens room._

 _With this Callie angrily did as she was told and slammed her room door shut._

 _"Oh...you want to keep slamming doors young lady?! Well let me tell you that's the last time ya'll have a door to slam! The last time ever god dammit for I don't need to be your mother to take that door off the hinges!"_

 _Stef screamed yet again as she stormed into the kitchen to rummage through the draws to look for the screwdriver in a fury._

 _"Stef..." she heard as her headache continued to grow._

 _"What Lena?" her tone harsh as she heard Lena's voice but failed to look up._

 _"I'm looking for that god damm screwdriver. This kid is gonna make me loose my mind for Christ sake." She mumbled to herself._

 _"Stefanie?"_

 _But upon hearing her full name the blonde froze as she...she recognized that voice. But it couldn't be. It couldn't be for how ...how on earth could...there was no way but as she looked up it was. It was. It was...as big as day...her mother, Sharon Cooper standing right in her living room and for this the blonde was speechless._


	27. Authors Note

Hi all Chapter 26 (Miscommunication) should be fixed now. There was a weird glitch in the system. And none of the reviews are posting either. Thanks!-Stef1981


	28. The Two Mothers

**_Enjoy all!-Stef1981_**

 _"What the hell are you doing here?" Stef finally said as it seemed as if a a million years had passed by. The tension in the room was higher then anything, so high you could literally cut it with a knife as the blonde walked angrily toward the woman she had not laid eyes on in more then twenty years. A woman she...she didn't want to have feelings for, a woman who had...who had not fought for her to come home, who had not run after, who simply just let her go to remain with a man who had almost killed her that night. A woman who lacked the courage to save them both from a violent situation, a woman who watched her Daugherty take enormous beatings. The hurt she continued to feel, the pain was unlike anything the only thing that literally hurt more was the words her daughter had screamed at her that very day. She could only glare at her...she could only glare at her coldly, harshly and severely._

 _But Sharon was speechless for she...she didn't know what...what to feel for she was overcome with so many emotions that it...she didn't know what to really do with it all. No matter how angry her daughter was she, no matter how much the look on her face screamed that she hated her more then anything she couldn't get over how much she had changed. How much...how much of a woman she really was now for she was no longer a little girl. She was no longer that 17 year old girl she had seen last. She..she was a woman now. She was a woman as she stood in front of her fully grown, beautiful and she could even see mild wrinkles on her face which she admired but equally made her saddened for she just...she couldn't believe how much she had grown. She knew she had of course, and she had seen the pictures but she couldn't get over how strong she looked, strong and fierce, courageous, passionate and how her face had matured so much, how her voice had matured and how radiant she really was. She was everything she hoped she could be as she could see her teen years had not...had not fully damaged her._

 _"Stefanie...I..." Sharon began as she slowly moved closer to the blonde who she wanted to hug her so badly. So badly more then she ever wanted anything. But she knew that was out of the question for her daughter only continued to glare at her as the two locked eyes._

 _Lena knew this was this was not the day for this and it was very much her fault. She had no idea that what kind of the day the blonde had or any clue as to what had taken place between her and Callie. She gently took her partners hand and could feel the anger radiate off her body as Stefs eyes remained on Sharon._

 _"Stef.." Lena finally spoke._

 _"I want you out. I want you out now. You aren't welcome here." Stef said harshly to the red head as her breathing increased and Sharon's face looked defeated._

 _"Stef..honey.." the brunette said as she placed her hand on her arm._

 _"I...I invited her here."_

 _Lena could only swallow the lump that had formed in her mouth as Stef's glare turned to look at her and she could feel more then anything how angry the cop truly was. She knew was was angry and felt betrayed and...shell shocked for yes..she had done this on her own. She had brought Sharon here without her consent. To her home, after more then twenty years._

 _"Stef...please.." she begged as she pulled away from Lena and took her keys off the kitchen table storming out the room._

 _"When I get back I don't want either of you here!" she yelled._

 _"Stefanie baby please just give me five minutes...this was not Lena's fault..."_

 _"Five minutes!?" the blonde said turning around as an awkward laugh came out of mouth._

 _"Stefanie, baby, I wanted to see you. I wanted to see you so bad honey..I...I Have missed you terribly and I..."..._

 _"Well I have not missed you one bit! Not one ounce! Have you not noticed how I never wrote you back! Why would I? Why the hell would I!"_

 _"I know...I know baby ...and."_

 _"And I don't want to hear it! I've told you once get out! And you join her Lena!"_

 _"Stef your father is sick. He's dying." Lena yelled and upon hearing this Stef froze. She froze in her tracks as her hand remained on the door knob and the two women looked to her._

 _"And I'm suppose to feel bad." she said turning around to face her mother._

 _"No Stefanie...I.._

 _"Look I have no time to deal with this. None...and why you felt the need to come here and tell me this...as if I'm suppose to feel bad, as if...Look just leave. Do me that favor and get out!" With that she slammed the door behind her louder then ever as the pictures hanging up on the wall fell and cracked._

 _"Stef!" Lena yelled after the blonde as she placed her hand on her forehead._

 _"Well...that went how I thought. My daughter has her fathers temper. Thankfully not the violent part...but.." the red head spoke as she soon helped Lena pick up the glass from the broken picture frames._

 _"I'll talk to her. I can usually calm her down." Lena said sweeping the glass._

 _"Lena...I'm sorry..I..."_

 _"No...I guess...I guess I should have planned this a little better. I just wanted to give her..I don't know." she trailed off._

 _"I know honey...Thank you for everything honey. You...you just take care of my babygirl as I know you will. I know you will. She doesn't need to see Frank and relieve all those terrible things. She doesn't. And...I'm ok knowing that she is happy and living her life. You have given me more then I could ever imagine Lena. Your a beautiful woman." she said gently placing her hand inside Lena's. Now go talk to you partner. I will let myself out."_

 _"Sharon..I'm sorry..I'm..." Lena expressed again.."This is just really hard for her. Harder then I thought and.."_

 _"Its ok. Its fine. Go on honey."_

 _Lena could only hug the woman as she exited the apartment. But Sharon being Sharon had one more stop to make before she left. She had heard the argument between Callie and her daughter and couldn't help but introduce herself to the young girl that she learned would be her granddaughter. She knew she couldn't mend her and Stefs relationship tonight but if she could help this one tonight she would. She knew very well she should leave for Stef did not want her here but...she didn't know if she would have this opportunity again._

* * *

 _As Callie laid in her bed wiping her tears at the argument she had with her mother and at the horrible day she had she was suddenly startled by hearing her mother yelling at Lena and another women who she didn't know. She had never heard her mother yell so harshly at anyone or so angrily much less at Lena for they were always affectionate, caring and soft spoke toward one another. She then heard the front door slam louder then ever and glass break and Lena yelling after her mother. Becoming nervous she ran to her window and looked down to see her mother walking to her SUV. It was unlike her to leave like that..very and she had no idea...no clue what was going on. But she watched as she just remained in her car not moving and not even turning it on. She couldn't help but feel terrible for she heard how upset her mother was and she herself had said some terrible and awful things to her, which she really had...but the love she felt for Stef was not something that could be undone no matter how confused she felt right now about everything._

 _As she continued to observe her mothers SUV she heard a small knock at her door but could clearly see it wasn't Lena for she saw her now getting into the SUV._

 _"Callie I'm so sorry to bother you...I'm..Sharon... Stefanie's mother. I just...I just wanted to introduce myself." she heard her speak through the other side of her door._

 _Upon hearing this she was surprised and now understood what the yelling was about. Stef was yelling at her mother who she knew she had not seen in over 20 years._

 _"Um...Come in." she said as her eyes continued to remain on the SUV as she heard her door open._

 _"Hi...Callie." The teen turned her head to see a red haired women with a wide smile on her face. She didn't expect her to look like this. She thought she would look more like Stef, tall with blonde hair._

 _"I know not who you expected huh?" she joked as the teen let out small smile._

 _"May I come in honey?"_

 _Callie nodded as she looked down once again to see her mother's car still there._

 _"Wow you have one amazing room kid. You like the beach huh?... Yeah I was always a beach lover myself." she said admiring the girls beautiful room and pictures. She couldn't help but notice all the ones of her and Stef, her of Stef and Lena and some of the young girl alone at various events. She saw her swimming trophy's and awards for photography and writing._

 _"Impressive."_

 _Callie still had not uttered a word as she observed the older woman._

 _"Don't worry I'm not crazy honey. Well, maybe a little but nothing to be concerned about. I'm a little nosy but that's about all. All old ladies are."_

 _Callie let out another smile as the red head approached her._

 _"Lena told me a lot about you. All good. Its nice to meet you honey." She said sticking her hand out as Callie looked at it and shook it back politely letting out a nodd._

 _"So is my daughter driving you crazy yet? She's known for that...well I use to drive her crazy." she said laughing as she took a seat on the girl's soft bed._

 _"Goodness I could pass out right now on this bed. It's so soft. Been a hell of a day."_

 _Even though Callie didn't know this woman she couldn't help but let out little laughs and smiles at the things she was saying._

 _"Ah you don't have to respond but judging by the fight I heard I would say yes." she smiled as the teen swallowed hard as she felt embarrassed for the way she had behaved and spoken._

 _"We...we don't ever fight." she admitted softly._

 _"She speaks!" Sharon said smiling as the teen let out another smile._

 _"Well ...my dear everyone fights honey. The world wouldn't spin around if we didn't Its' all natural. Just a matter of what we fight about and if we choose to make up from it, or learn from it."_

 _"But I said really terrible things to her..Just..." she shook her head as she looked out the window once again and Sharon knew and could see very well how much this young girl adored and loved her daughter. She had an innocence about her, but at the same time she could see the baggage she carried, the weight and the pain. She reminded her so much of Stefanie. Very soft on the inside but a hard shell on the outside._

 _"Your mama will be back honey. Sometimes adults just have to let off some steam. Come join me on this amazing soft bed you have that I might steal."_

 _Callie hesitantly looked out the window once again to still see her mother and Lena inside talking._

 _"I have a feeling they need to talk. So maybe you and I can talk a bit too. I don't bite..I promise!"_

 _With this the teen walked slowly over to bed and sat next to the petite red head. The one thing she noticed was...she was much softer then her mother, she didn't appear as intimating or hard edged even if Stef never displayed those characteristics to her._

 _"So what did you fight about honey?"_

 _Callie continued to look down as she played with the sterling silver bracelet her mother had gotten her a few weeks ago and she just continued to feel even worse._

 _"I...I did something stupid." the teen admitted._

 _"Well ..no ones perfect that's for sure. What do you define as stupid honey?"_

 _"I stole."_

 _"MMmm...I stole once myself...a pack of cigarettes and beers."_

 _Callie looked up to her surprised for even admitting it._

 _"Really? Dont' they put those behind the counter?"_

 _"Not in my day they didn't. Which was a million years ago. Right around the time of the dinosaurs." she joked as Callie burst out laughing._

 _"I'm like a fossil." she joked as she patted the teens leg and Callie could only continue to laugh._

 _"Mama always says that about herself." Callie admitted as she continued to laugh not realizing she was still referring to Stef as that._

 _"If your mother is fossil then god only knows what that makes me."_

 _The teen continued to smile._

 _"So Callie baby...what did you steal or...more importantly why did you feel the need to steal. Based on what I'm seeing I can't imagine you don't have all you need."_

 _"I stole a box of pads and...ran into Mike. at the store. I almost got arrested."_

 _"Well if that isn't bad luck then I don't know what is." Sharon said shaking her head._

 _"I know. Only mine. Mama was so mad...but I...I was horrible to her...I said...I said really terrible things to her." the teen said shaking her head as she could feel tears in her eyes._

 _"Well baby..why?..I mean why do you think you did. Are you angry at her?"_

 _"No...that's the thing I'm not...and she does so much for me and..she works all the time because of me, and she tired I know she is and I always need something and I'm making her broke..I'm just a big headache and I just couldn't ask for one more thing. I Just..._

 _"You know babygirl..." Sharon began as Callie realized Stef was more like her mother then thought just purely by the way she spoke to her. The words were comforting as the red head placed her hand inside of Callie's._

 _"Stefanie, has always from the time she was a little girl a very very devoted person. Very and more then anyone I have ever come across. And If I know her I am sure she works more because she wants to give you the absolute best life she can. That's...that's what good parents do and sometimes being tired is apart of it all. It's a lot about sacrifice when you become a parent. Give and take and balance. I would say judging by what Ive heard from Lena and meeting you and all the pictures you have hanging up I would say...I would say she does it because she loves you dearly and loves you more then anything. It would seem that way to me. Do you love her?"_

 _"I love her more then anything and I just...today was a bad day. A really bad day and it was my first time. I never got it... my cycle before and I had an accident in school...I messed up the jeans she just got me ...and everyone saw it and it was such a bad day...and I just...I didn't want to bother her with one more thing. It's just always something with me. I need this expensive thearpist, and tutors and ...and I was awful to her and she probably will send me back and..." Callie began to cry as Sharon took her in her arms and hugged her._

 _"It's ok honey...its ok." she held her as the teen continued to let out the tears from earlier and patted her back._

 _"I gotta tell ya kid my daughter is very stubborn and hate to break it to ya but your stuck with her."_

 _Callie smiled at this as she wiped her tears as did Sharon as she pulled away._

 _"Course I sense some stubbornness on your part too." she winked and Callie continued to see even more similarities between her and Stef._

 _"I guess." she admitted as she let out a wide smile._

 _"Honey. I think your mother knows you better then you think...and I think ...well I know its hard to realize that after all the things you have been through that someone will honestly stick by you. Must not be an easy thing to understand._

 _"Not always...mama has told me so many times she will stand by me but sometimes it's..it's hard to believe it. I'm just so scared."_

 _"I think...I think you should talk to her."_

 _"She hates me. I can't..I screamed at her." Callie admitted._

 _"Callie...do you really believe that?" Sharon asked._

 _Looking up to the red head she saw her eyes were soft and sensitive as they moved to look toward the doorway of her room. Callie knew...she knew someone was standing in it and when she turned to look she saw her mother smiling softly at her. But she felt so bad. She felt so horrible about the day...she just...she didn't know if Stef wanted her anymore for all she wanted to do was run to her and hug her. Run to her and tell her just how sorry she was. But she felt ashamed...she just did as Stef walked into her room and Callie's eyes looked up at the blonde who's face was soft._

 _"Can I get a hug baby?"_

 _Upon hearing this Callie continued to let tears shed from her eyes._

 _"I think your mama wants a hug. Go on give her one." Sharon said as the blonde's eyes remained on her daughter and Callie soon stood up and hugged her tight as Stef hugged her just as hard._

 _Upon seeing this tears fell from Sharon's eyes as well as she remembered the last time she had hugged her little girl was in fact when she was little and that pained her as she looked into hear daughters eyes which were now 1000 times softer then when she first saw her. This little girl definitely had an effect on her._

* * *

 _ ***Don't worry Lena is there and you will get to see what they spoke about in the car!**_


	29. Consequences

**This chapter was updated**

 _As Stef Foster laid quietly in her bed with young Callie Jacobs in her arms snoring soundly, the woman's mind was just beginning to ease as the night had been intensely long, one of the longest she had experienced since her daughter had been admitted into the ER over four months ago. The evening and day had certainly brought its fair share of mixed emotions, challenges and heated arguments leaving the blonde exhausted and drained which she knew only rest could cure for the time being. Seeing Sharon had infuriated her to no end and she had every intention of throwing the woman out but, after witnessing the exchange between her and Callie and realizing the teen would be her granddaughter the blonde put aside her anger and agreed to meet Sharon at her hotel in the morning for breakfast. It was certainly not something she was looking forward to and not a way she wanted to spend her morning by facing her past, a past she had tried so hard to bury, but she knew she couldn't continue to avoid it. She couldn't at all for Lena had constantly reminded her of that as well as her daughter._

 _It was surly no secret the conflicted emotions the cop was feeling towards her partner right now for she was still somewhat furious with her for going behind her back, inviting her mother to her apartment and reading her letters. Stef had to admit it was pretty bold on Lena's part for she was never one to pry into anyone's business, not in the least but she couldn't help but think maybe she herself was more obvious then she thought about how much she was struggling these last few months with her own past. Maybe the nightmares she thought she was dealing with were coming to light more, maybe she mentioned it more then she thought, maybe..and maybe..just maybe her partner was truly trying to help and this alone left Stef's mind even more confused as it continued to switch from anger to understanding. Despite the confusion the cop was well aware the issue was nothing which would cause there relationship to end, but it would take her time to get past it and process it all for the heated discussion the two had in the SUV earlier made that more evident then anything._

 _"So you just took it upon yourself to read my letters that were clearly, in fact very clearly addressed to me, and you took it upon yourself to invite her here? I mean is that what I am understanding or am I missing something!" Stef yelled as Lena sat next to her in the SUV feeling more guilt then ever as she just wanted her partner to listen to her more then anything right now. But she knew that was asking a lot, she knew that for she was well aware that once Stef reached a certain level of anger it took a few hours for her to calm down, if not days sometimes. It was bad enough that the blonde was already on edge for the fight and altercation she had with her daughter which was very uncharacteristic of the two. That did not help the situation by any means._

 _"Stef ..I didn't do it intentionally...it just happened and..." the brunette began as tears filled her eyes as she faced her partner who continued to avoid her heartbroken face._

 _"Oh... you just happened to open letters... 20 years worth it just happened..well that's rich!" she laughed awkwardly and shaking her head..which was ready to explode as a migraine continued to throb as a day that started out normal had turned into a nightmare._

 _"And you bring her here. You bring her to my apartment where me and daughter live...and what..were you going to introduce her to Callie without me even knowing..unreal. Just unreal."_

 _"Stef...I...baby look.."she said now placing her hand on the cops arm which she knew was risky for the blonde did not like to be touched one bit when she was angry._

 _"Lena.. you had no business...you had no business to do that. None! You think I'd open a box full of letters that were addressed to you? Do you think I'd go behind your back and invite..I don't know Grechin here or Nate, or what Monte? Knowing how you feel about them. Do you think I'd do that."_

 _"Stef..that is a completely different circumstance."_

 _"How! How is that different Lena?"_

 _The brunette rubbed her forehead now for she was also beginning to feel a headache._

 _" I did this too...too try to help and.."_

 _"Oh please! To help? You did it to satisfy your own curiously! I told you to leave that part of me shut and you couldn't leave well enough alone. I told you to leave it closed!""_

 _"Is that what you think? My curiosity! Don't you know me at all Stef? Don't you! I do things because of how I feel about you, because I love you more then I have ever loved anyone in my life. Anyone! Fine yes it was none of my business, I know it wasn't, and it wrong of me to open letters that were meant for you, and yes I should have left well enough alone. I should for you had made it very clear to me on more then one occasion how you feel about your past, how you felt about your parents, but only until recently. Baby I had no idea the entire time we have been seeing each other what happened to you. And we are suppose to be getting married and_

 _"Oh don't you dare try to blame your actions on me!"_

 _"Stef I'm not! I'm not blaming you if you would just listen and let me ...Look I'm not blaming you. I know its very hard for you to ..to express yourself or open yourself up about your past. I know it is. Stef...I wasn't going to contact her...but the last letter I read...I just..it said your father was sick and..and when I called Sharon she was on her way to San Diego to see him one last time..and and I called her ok. I did..because I didn't want you to regret...regret not making piece with your past. I wanted to give you that...that opportunity and I'm sorry if it was not my choice to make...I just...I did it for you baby. I did."_

 _The blonde swallowed hard as she still remained quiet and still avoiding any eye contact with her partner. But Lena's hand had still remained on the cops which she surprisingly had still allowed._

 _"Babe, please don't shut me out. I know you're angry, I know you don't want to speak with me. I know..._

 _"Lena you don't know. You..you just don't even know...and I am not interested in seeing ...Frank Cooper whether he's ill or not or my father is beside the point! He's an awful awful man."_

 _"Babe...I know and.._

 _"And how do you expect me to make room for this? Huh? How? The only things I have room in my life for are Callie and you!...and I'm not so sure...forget it." she swallowed hard as Lena could feel the tears fall down her face._

 _"You're not so sure of what Stef?" she asked hesitantly._

 _"Nothing...just forget it."_

 _"Of me? Of us?" she asked as her voice cracked._

 _"Lena, I can't have this conversation right now. I just cant." the blonde said as she now exited the SUV and Lena quickly got out following behind as she did not want the discussion to end like this. Unresolved._

 _"Stef?...stef?" she yelled after her._

 _"Stef..stop shutting me out when things get to hard! Why do you do that! You ..can't just walk away like that..and leave me in the dark...that's unfair." Lena was now yelling herself as they two stood in front of the blondes apartment._

 _"Oh that's unfair! Really! Give me a break!" she shook her head in disbelief._

 _"What do you want me to do? What Stef?"_

 _"Nothing...I don't want you to do a damm thing. I need to go talk to my daughter." the blonde said opening the door to her apartment now as Lena stood in front of it and closed it._

 _"No Stef...you..you don't get to do that."_

 _"Lena...I told you I'm not ...I can't deal with this right now!"_

 _"Tell me ..what happened with Callie today Stef?" the brunette persisted as she continued to block the door._

 _"It doesn't concern you I'll handle it." the blonde yelled as her anger only increased._

 _"It does concern me! When we sat in that ER waiting room and you told me you wanted to foster her I told you I would help. I would be there no matter what. It's bad enough you won't take money from me, it's bad enough you want to do everything on your own but now that you are angry with me you won't clue me in on something that clearly upset the both of you today. That is unfair!" Lena said sternly as she looked into the hesitant eyes of the blonde._

 _"Stef..we are getting married, assuming you still want to, and when we all live together I will have to be apart of this. I will! But is this how you want to be now? You want to brush me off and leave me in the dark because of an issue you and I have? Is that how you want us to be? Is it? Because that is surely a way to not only hurt me but Callie as well." Lena said more heartbroken then ever as the blonde looked up into her eyes with resistance. But she knew Lena was right. She knew it very well that they had agreed to raise Callie together while she was living with her, and once they were married they would both most certainly be her mother, they would most certainly share in the finances, they would most certainly discipline her together. Stef knew her anger was clouding her judgement and clouding against her making the right decision. She knew it and let out a loud sigh as she shook her head._

 _"Stef...I love that little girl too. I do...I love the both of you so much and..." Lena began as the blonde soon cut her off._

 _"She stole Lena. She stole and Mike and I busted her at a convenience store that was over an hour away from here where she almost got herself arrested." she let out harshly as Lena's face took on a look of utter confusion._

 _"What?...what ..why?...why on earth would she do that?" her face now turning confused._

 _"If I knew I'd tell you...I don't know." the cop shook her head._

 _"What...did she steal?"_

 _"Maxi pads."_

 _"What?...that that makes no sense...she has money you give her and..why would she feel the need to steal? And halfway across town."_

 _"A lot of things don't make sense today Lena." the blonde said coldly as Lena looked back into her eyes letting out a soft sigh herself as she tried to ignore her comment which she knew was directed at her actions._

 _"So, that's what that screaming and yelling was about when you got home?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Well..did she tell you why she did it..or..."_

 _"No..it didn't go over that well...not in the least." Stef admitted._

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"I just mean it didn't go over so well when I questioned her about it...and..." the cop said now looking down as she did not want to admit or bring up what the teen had said to her for her heart was feeling heavy enough. Nonetheless the brunette knew more then anything that seeing Sharon wasn't the only source of the cops pain as she gently took her hand softly._

 _"Stef...what happened? Please. I know you are furious with me. I know you are..and I know when you're furious you don't ...you don't want to talk, you want to shut everyone and everything out and just...well just deal with it yourself. I know that. But please...just this once can you just put us aside right now, our issues and just tell me what happened. At the end of the day both you and I have the same goal in terms of Callie's well being..and ours." she pleaded as the cop neglected to make eye contact looking toward the floor._

 _"I...I don't know if she...I don't know if she wants me Lena...I was sure..sure we were building a special relationship and that..." the blonde began to tear as Lena moved in closer._

 _"Honey...what would make you think she doesn't want you...teenagers...say things they don't mean all the time. They do...and.."_

 _"She said I'm just..I'm just another foster parent she doesn't give a crap about...that..that I'm not her mother." she swallowed hard._

 _"Baby...she doesn't mean that...she.." Lena said softly._

 _"What if she does mean it Lena?...what if she really does hate living with me. What if she really doesn't want me to be her mother? What if..."_

 _The curly haired woman wiped the tears that had fallen from the blondes eyes._

 _"Honey...she doesn't mean it baby...that little girl loves you so much, she's not only your life...your her life as well. I can see it by the way she looks at you, by the joy on her face every time you walk into the room...it's like a light bulb her face lights up so much. The way...the way she talks about you, do you know how much she talks about you when you're not here? Do you know how many question she asks me about you? She adores you honey and believe me you are her mother...and that..that might scare her sometimes..I mean you remember what her therapist said...she could rebel at any point for reasons that we have to drag out of her, or reasons she doesn't even know. Maybe something happened today that we don't know, maybe she got freaked out and...of course its no reason to talk to you the way she did or to steal but...Maybe she is so happy with you that...she is afraid it will be taken away. I mean in her eyes this is only temporary...Maybe you should tell her you want to adopt her honey."_

 _The blonde swallowed hard._

 _"I...I..." she stuttered._

 _"Babe...you are the most confident person I know. What are you afraid of? Do you really think that little girl doesn't love you? "_

 _"Stef I guarantee if you go in there right now she will run in your arms." the blonde swallowed hard._

 _"Baby...do you love Callie?"_

 _"More then anything Lena...If I didn't I wouldn't have been so hurt." she laughed awkardly._

 _"Then I think baby...you should tell her soon. Even if she doesn't want it, which I doubt, you will know. Honey...you are more of her mother then anyone. She knows that and so do you." Lena now rubbed both sides of her partners face as they both let out small smiles._

 _"Baby this is just the ups and downs of motherhood..which I know neither of us know but... you don't have to deal with it alone my love. I know you're strong. I know you always want to be strong..I know that. But Stef...you have to let me help before you burn out honey. Please let me."_

 _The blonde now agreed as she wiped her tears._

 _"I know your still angry at me Stef...and I know we still have alot of talking to do about what I did but...go talk to your baby. I'm sure she is looking for her mama." Lena smiled as did the cop._

 _Despite the anger she felt toward her partner, and the betrayal she felt she knew Lena wasn't malicious or would intentionally set out to hurt her. But she was also well aware, and it was evident that she needed her, and she also knew she was right in the fact that Callie did need both of them. That it was important for Lena to be in her life just as much as her and that she gave her some of the burden, and responsibilities of being a parent. Working together as a team had proven successful in the past and she realized she needed it just as much going into the future especially once she adopted the young girl._

 _Looking down and gently stroking her daughters soft curls in her hands she was just relieved to know the real reason for her outburst and behavior that had taken place earlier in the day even if it didn't justify her actions by any means. None whatsoever, and she didn't want to imagine the nightmare it would have been if her and Mike had not run into her at the store. Had the young girl gotten arrested she surly would have been removed from her home and placed in Juvie, a place Callie had no business being in, none at all. Regardless it was still very clear to her and Lena how much more work they still had to do and how Callie still feared they would throw her away. Throw her away simply because of her life needs that had been denied to her for so long that they seemed extraordinary to the teen. Miles they would need to go Stef realized even more from the talk the two woman had with the young girl._

 _"Callie you can't just run off or take matters into your own hands when something is bothering you or has upset you. It's important for us to know what's wrong and it's important for you to communicate that even if you are scared, or afraid. Does that make sense honey?" Lena said as Callie sat on the couch in between her and Stef. She knew she would have to fess up to everything eventually, she knew it very well but she just didn't think it would be tonight as she saw the clock on the DVR turn to almost 1am._

 _"And Callie my love, running off, talking back, all of the above, unacceptable. Yes?" Stef enforced as the teen looked to her and nodded._

 _"So what happened Callie. Talk to us. The only way for you to learn that we will continued to stand by you, to be here for you is for you to keep trusting us. Trust that we will do the right thing for you always Callie. Me and your mama." Lena smiled gently as she held the young girls hand but they could both see how hesitant she still was and she still remained quiet for another few moments._

 _"Cals..talk my love. From beginning to end. I told you that on the beach that day. No more hiding, no more secrets my love. Spill it baby."_

 _"Well...I...I sort of heard you talking the other night...I wasn't eavesdropping...I wasn't mama but...I..I heard some stuff." Callie admitted shyly._

 _"Ok love what?"_

 _After a few moments the girl had still not responded and Stef gently turned her face to look into hers._

 _"Talk to us love. It's ok."_

 _"Well...I..I'm making you broke."_

 _Stef now looked to Lena and let out a low sigh as the curly haired woman looked concerned and worried for she knew what conversation Callie must have overheard._

 _"Callie look at me honey." the teen once again lifted her head up too look into her mothers hazel as she held her hand softly._

 _"First off I am not broke. I am not going broke. And if I was it's not something for you to worry about. Not at all. Those are my issues, adult issues that you aren't to concern yourself with. You let me handle that. Lena and I as we are the adults and it is our responsibility to take care of you. We know you have always taken care of yourself love, we know that but that ends now."_

 _"But...all the stuff I need...and...I don't need any of it. I don't need the guitar or..the swim lessons or any of it. I don't need the new camera..I don't need the new clothes you always buy me and the jewelry and...I just...I'm just a bother and I..I can get a job." she said shaking her head._

 _"Callie...your mother buys you those things because she wants to. Because she loves you as do the both of us. And she works hard because she wants you to have what you need." Lena expressed as she wiped the tears from the girls face._

 _"Sweets...I told you from the first day I wanted to give you a life you never had. A life you didn't get to experience ever. And that includes letting you be a kid, letting you enjoy life, letting you find yourself and enjoying yourself to the fullest. Believe me you will have plenty of time to work when you get older. Just focus on school."_

 _"But...I always...I always have some problem." Callie once again shook her head._

 _"Baby...you have to understand that things happen in life. Situations, bad things, good things, people get sick, people get ill and life happens. But it doesn't mean that...that you are a bother. I expect things to take place..that is just being human my love. I understand how you feel I do...When I got shot and had to be bedridden for months I felt like a bother. But when you have people around that love you and want to help and want to take care of you they never see you that way. Everyone needs help love, everyone and we have to trust people enough to let them even when we aren't so sure ourselves." Stef now looked to her partner who herself had tears in her eyes and the blonde let out a soft smile indicating she wasn't so furious at her anymore._

 _"Callie...your mama is right. You have never been a bother to either of us. We love you. We enjoy you so much and you have brought so much joy into our lives. More then you will ever know sweetheart. But you have to come to us, you just have to honey because we are here to help, we are here to stand by you each and every single minute of the day. We can't stress that enough bug." Lena said softly as Callie looked into her brown eyes and nodded._

 _"Callie...my love..why didn't you tell me it was your first time having your cycle?" the young girls eyes now widened as she had forgotten she neglectfully spilled that information to Sharon. But she didn't know her mother had heard it as she swallowed hard._

 _"Love?" Stef spoke softly once again as the teen began to fidget from embarrassment._

 _"I was embarrassed."_

 _"No need to be honey. Many girls get there cycle later in life. Not everyone gets it at the same time. I got mine at 9." Lena said._

 _"And to be honest I also got mine at 15 love." Stef admitted._

 _"Really?" Callie was surprised at both answers._

 _"Yes honey ..every woman is different. We aren't all the same and that's ok. Having your cycle is nothing to be embarrassed about. It's natural and apart of becoming a woman." the blonde continued._

 _"I got it in school today...and messed up the jeans you got me. Everyone saw and...and I was so..."_

 _"Honey why didn't you come to me? I would have helped you, gotten you a change of clothes and what you needed." Lena expressed feeling terrible for the young girl as the blondes face looked equally disheartened._

 _"I...I...just couldn't ask for another thing...I just..I wanted to handle it myself...and.."_

 _"So that's why you stole? Because you didn't want to ask me for anything else?" the blonde assumed._

 _"Yes...I just...I just couldn't. I was going to call you mama, and I was going to go to your office Lena but...I just felt really bad about always needing stuff, and you always having to work Stef,...and I just...I just thought if I needed another thing...I would be too much of a problem..and you would get rid of me...and If I was rude and pretended I didn't love you that it would make it easier if you told me to leave...I just...I thought it would mama...but it wasn't easy..it was so hard and it hurt so much the things I said to you and I'm sorry and..." the teen began to cry uncontrollably as the cop grabbed her hugging her in her arms tightly._

 _"Callie it's ok my love. It's ok. I know you didn't mean any of that. I know my love, and I know you had a horrible day. I know sweetheart. I know." She gently kissed the top of the girls soft head as she continued to hold the grief-stricken teen._

 _"You were never just some foster parent I didn't give a crap about...you never were...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I said that mama...you are my mama..you and..I.." The teen tried to let out as her voice continued to crack from being so upset as she could feel her eyes and throat burn and her breathing increase._

 _"I know love..I know sweets...I know you didn't mean it baby." Stef only continued to hold the girl harder as Lena began to tear even more as she watched the two and she soon moved in closer and hugged the girl from behind as Callie was squeezed between the two and let out a big smile._

 _"Oh there it is Stef..there's that smile!"_

 _"I see it! My daughters beautiful smile."_

 _"You guys are squeezing me I can't breathe" she laughed again as the two women continued to hug her for what seemed like hours as they all soon pulled away and the blonde handed both Callie and Lena tissue._

 _"Honey...please don't hide things like this. This is a very important phase in your life..having your cycle. It means your body is continuing to change and ...it's something we need to talk about." Stef said sternly._

 _"Really?...I think I'll be ok. I had health class on it and googled about it. I have it for about 4-5 days..I change every hour and take ibuprofen or midol for cramps." Callie admitted as she was beginning to blush once again._

 _"Well that's a start, but that's not all there is to it honey. Plus there is not always the most accurate information online and health class does leave some things out. We just want to make sure you know all there is to getting your cycle, to knowing it means you can very well get pregnant now if you choose to have sex..." Lena said as the teens eyes widened and she quickly cut her off feeling more mortified then ever. Were they really going to do this right now or in general for the floor was the only place she could even look right now._

 _"Whoa..um...I'm..I'm definitively not having..that." she held both her hands up neglecting to look at either woman still._

 _"Having what? Stef questioned as the teen looked up to her and she swallowed hard._

 _"That..I mean you know."_

 _"Nope we don't." the blonde continued as both her and Lena wanted Callie to say the word._

 _"Gosh please don't make me say it. This is so embarrassing." the teen put her hands to her face hoping it would end soon._

 _"Callie sex is not a bad word." Lena soon blurted out and the young girl just closed her eyes tight hoping she would fade away from this._

 _"I was only two years older then you the first time I had sex Callie. And no one talked to me about it and I got pregnant." Stef admitted as the young girl instantly looked into her eyes completely surprised for she never expected to hear that. Not in the least._

 _"Really?" was all she could mustered as she continued to lock eyes with the blonde._

 _"Yes love. I got pregnant at 17 and I didn't have anyone to talk to me about it. No one. I mean I didn't really know what being fertile meant, I didn't use a condom, and I didn't know that silly myth that you can't get pregnant the first time wasn't true, or that the pull out method doesn't work. There was a whole bunch of wrong information going around, there still is especially with the internet, and we don't want you to have that kind of wrong information love."_

 _"What...did you do?..About the baby mama?"_

 _"I lost the baby love. But if I had not...I would have had a much harder life. Being a teenager and a mother at the same time with just a high school education. It would have been hard. Not impossible but much more challenging."_

 _Lena continued to admire Stef's openness about her past that she knew was extremely painful as Callie squeezed her mother's hand and rubbed it as the blonde let out a soft smile to her._

 _"Callie..we just want to make sure you are informed in the best way. That's all. It's not a conversation to embarrass you or to mortify you. It's just to educate you...and even though me and your mama are adults we have to continue to educate each other as well._

 _"I get it." Callie let out as images were coming into her head that she did not want to._

 _"Love I think we have embarrassed her enough for one night." The blonde winked at her young daughter who let out a sigh of relief._

 _"But before I send you off to bed some serious consequences for your actions are in need my love." the blonde enforced as Callie soon looked up to her more worried then ever at the mention of serious. She knew by now that Stef would never hit her or anything but...she couldn't help but feel her stomach turn and her nerves begin to heighten. Seeing her daughters body tense up the cop placed her hand inside Callie's once again._

 _"Baby...I'm not going to hurt you. Never..in case you were worried about that my love. You know this right?"_

 _The teen nodded._

 _"I want to hear you my love."_

 _"Yes I understand." the teen voiced as Stef let out a small smile._

 _"Ok...listen you're grounded for a month. No mall trips, no guitar lessons, no movies, no nothing. Same deal as before. No chatting on the phone with friends, no texting, no music, no games, no swimming...you are to come straight home after school. And you will have additional chores." upon hearing the word "month" Callie's eyes bugged out as she looked to her mother._

 _"A month?" she questioned._

 _"I can make it two?" the blonde quickly replied as the teens eyes widened even more._

 _"Month is fine. Month is awesome."_

 _Lena couldn't help but let out a tiny smile at Callie's response._

 _"And that photography show...a no go." with this the young girl looked into her mother eyes once again for they had planned this for weeks. Stef knew it hurt and it pained her just as much but she just couldn't let the girl get away with the things she had done, or the way she had spoken to her._

 _"Understood?"_

 _"Yes mama." she said sadly._

 _"Now..I want you off to bed. It's late and we all need to get up soon." Stef rubbed her forehead as she looked to the DVR clock and over to Lena's exhausted face as well._

 _"Callie, we just want you to know that we love you. We love you very much and we aren't punishing you to hurt you. It's just...your actions have to have consequences." Lena said as the teen let out a low sigh but she understood. She understood very well as she looked up to the brunette._

 _"I understand...and I'm sorry. I really am."_

 _"We know you are my love. We know." the blonde gently kissing the side of her face and Lena moved in to give the young girl a hug as well._

 _"Off to bed love. Go on bug." the slim woman said as Callie got up and began heading to her room but soon turned around to face the two women nervously who were staring at her._

 _"I love you both too." she said as Stef could clearly see something was still on her mind._

 _"We love you too my love...whats wrong honey?" the blonde asked._

 _"Um..Mama...does um...if I have a bad dream..."_

 _"Callie..my door is always open to you no matter what sweets." she winked at the young girl who smiled and Stef could see her head right to her room as all the blonde could do was let out a smile._

 _"I don't think I'll ever get my own room." the cop laughed as Lena grabbed her hand and gently slide it into hers._

 _"You may not my love." she said smiling as the two stared lovingly into each others exhausted eyes._

 _As Stef came out of her memory she glanced at the clock once again which now read 3am. Letting out a low sigh she soon snuggled into her daughter more kissing the top of her head gently once more._

 _"I'm here mama." she heard the teen speak softly as Callie wrapped her arms around her mother even tighter._

 _With this the blonde realized she needed her daughter more anything tonight, and Callie was very aware of this, for she was privy to the fact that her mother sought comfort in her as well at times no matter how strong she was._

* * *

 ** _*Up next a much needed Lena/Callie chapter :)_**


	30. Mom

**Enjoy loves!**

 **Again I apologize for grammar or spelling issues! I will go over it once again :)**

 _"I'm wondering..should I make roasted cabbage with dinner?" Lena asked the young teen as she took a sip of her piping hot coffee pondering what side dishes she would prepare along with the rotisserie chicken for the nights dinner. As she looked up from her phone which displayed the list of errands she would also need to do, the curly haired woman happily noticed the young girl's big brown eyes staring straight back at her as the teen was fully enjoying a warm serving of blueberry pancakes while the two sat at the cops warm,cozy and sunny lit kitchen table. The blonde had left over an hour ago and Lena knew very well how much Callie already missed her for she had continued to ask countless questions about her mother, excitedly yak her ear off with stories from the week about all the two had done, and had texted the cop over three times already. This only continued to warm the slim woman's heart as she listened attentively to all Callie had to say as her face lit up each time she mentioned her mothers name. Nonetheless, Lena also could clearly see that the young girl had grown more comfortable with her as well for this was the first time Callie had been so talkative when the two had been alone, this was the first time she initiated little hints of affection, and it was evident by the wide smile on the young girls face how much she adored the nickname the older woman had given her recently. Bug._

 _"Mmmm never had cabbage." the girl soon admitted as she stuffed another forkful of pancakes in her mouth while lounging in Stef's pajamas which consisted of old sweatpants, an old uniform shirt and her slippers as the girl continued to gravitate towards her mother's clothing still._

 _"I don't think your mama has either to be honest Cal. I'm just glad she's eating better because when we first started to date it was horrifying. I swear she lived off greasy Chinese takeout. Her and Mike both. Worst eating habits." Lena shook her head in disapproval as Callie could only let out a laugh as she knew there were many times Stef had come home exhausted from work and they had binged on Chinese at the beach or McDonald's._

 _"Did you know mama liked you?" she soon asked curiously while sneakily trying to move her hand to Lena's mug thinking that the woman was too distracted by her phone. However, the curly haired woman was privy to Callie's ways of stealing sips from her and Stef's mugs and immediately picked it up to take a sip._

 _"Well..to be honest..yes.. your mother wasn't shy about it. So I knew she liked me yes. She was...is very sweet, charming and charismatic." she turned to look at the young curious teen and let out a warm smile._

 _"What's charismatic?" Callie's face turned to a look of confusion._

 _"Charismatic meaning...she had charm, and appeal. She was very magnetic...well is very magnetic, and romantic."_

 _"Mama's romantic?" It was now clear to Lena just what kind of awkward image that produced in the teens head as she looked utterly embarrassed and completely mortified._

 _"She's very romantic honey...and sweet." Callie's face revealing yet another embarrassed look as her eyeballs widened._

 _"Nothing to be embarrassed about honey, as you will one day experience romance yourself it's a beautiful thing love."_

 _The young girls face continued to blush._

 _"Unless you already have." the slim woman smiled as Callie's eyes moved down to her plate for she had forgotten about the fake boyfriend Justina made her lie about as she swallowed hard. She knew both her mother and Lena knew it had been a lie as well. But she decided to shake it off and not think about that part of her life for it did nothing but heighten her anxiety and trigger bad memories that were only from a few months ago. The teen also tried not to think about the many boys that had tried to take advantage of her but she had fought them off for Stef was right in the fact that Callie was a tough little girl. Nonetheless it was evident to Lena that the young girl wanted to say something. Something about her past regarding her time living with Justina or even before then, and the charges they had made against Oliver Lee. Despite everything she knew it was something they would need to talk about soon and she would be sure to remind Stef._

 _"Have you ever had a boyfriend Callie?"_

 _At this the teen wasn't sure how to respond. She...didn't want to lie, but she didn't want to talk about it either so she failed to respond and diverted the conversation._

 _"You know...I thought you were more the romantic one. You know between you and mama" Callie suddenly blurted out trying to ease the awkwardness that had formed as the curly haired woman could see she touched on a difficult subject. But deciding not to press it future she just let out a smile to assure the girl that all was ok. She also couldn't help but notice how similar she was to Stef in terms of changing topics when it was something she did not want to speak about. It was quit uncanny._

 _"Ha, my love, looks can surly be deceiving. I mean don't get me wrong your mother can be a little on the shy side, but she was the one who asked me out and we went to the fair. Thing is she appears closed off but once you get to know her...she's just mush inside, as I'm sure you know."_

 _"She is. Except if she's mad. Then no one is safe." Callie joked as she shook her head and stuffed more pancakes in her mouth._

 _"That I can't argue with. But... I can't imagine my life without her. Or you." she smiled as the teen blushed continuing to eyeball the woman's coffee mug._

 _"And miss I catch you stealing my coffee one more time and it's over for you." Lena joked as she couldn't help but laugh at the mischievous teen._

 _"Tea you can have or orange juice my love. Coffee is no good neither is caffeine when you have your cycle."_

 _"I steal mamas. Takes her exactly 10 minutes to shower, another 5 to put her clothes on, about a minute to unlock her gun and another minute to put her holster and badge one, and another 5 to do her hair for work. Plus she always leaves it on the counter anyways sooo it's like telling me to drink it." The teen admitted playfully as Lena couldn't help but let out a laugh and shake her head for she was realizing Callie was truly a little troublemaker._

 _"Oh Callie Stefanie Marie...you are just like your mama." she smiled as the young girls face beamed in delight at the comparison but that light quickly faded and her face turned saddened._

 _"Lena... you think mama will be alright?" Callie questioned as her voice was much more serious now and Lena could clearly sense by her expression just how worried she was about her mother's meeting with Sharon. In fact she believed she was much more worried then she should be but the slim woman knew it was related to how much the teen loved and cared for the blonde. Nonetheless she was also well aware that Callie most likely had heard part of their argument last night which had been unavoidable, unfortunately._

 _"I think she will be just fine bug. Your mama is very strong sweetheart. Very." Lena said gently placing her hand on top of Callie's and rubbing it softly with a look of concern on her face._

 _"MMm..I know but... she couldn't sleep last night... and she tossed and turned all night." the teen admitted sadly as she drank her orange juice and continued to stare at the slim woman._

 _"It was a tough day for the both of you and there were a lot of emotions and feelings going on honey."_

 _"Yeah...I know."_

 _"But look sweetheart the sun is out and it's a beautiful day for the both of you."_

 _"Doesn't mean much if your grounded forever." the teen blew air out of her mouth as she looked longingly out the window._

 _"Well, I'm sure your mama doesn't mind if you sit outside ...and a month isn't that long honey." Lena couldn't help but laugh as she knew in a teens mind a month was more like years rather then a few days as it seemed in an adults mind._

 _"Kinda bites about the photography show though. I wanted to see it so bad and wanted to show mama some of my favorite photographers. Oh well." Callie said continuing to remain bummed out._

 _"I'm sure they will have another one sweetheart."_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Listen love...I know being grounded is no fun but we had no choice my love. Your actions and choices couldn't go unpunished sweetheart. They just couldn't and me and your mama hated to do it.. but...it was a must."_

 _"I know I understand...I shouldn't have behaved that way." she admitted regretfully as she still felt bad for how she had spoken to Stef._

 _"We all do things we aren't proud of. We just have to make sure we learn from them." the teen looked up into the the brunette's soft eyes as her mind continued to think about the kind of morning her mother was having with Sharon._

 _"Lena?" the teen pondered._

 _"Yes bug?" Lena still looking to Callie attentively._

 _"Do you think...well do you think mama wants to see her mom...like talk to her?"_

 _"Well, to be honest I am not 100 percent sure. I mean... I think part of your mama does want to talk to her mother since it's been so long, but maybe there is a part that doesn't. It's just not as simple as one may think and...it's not a black and white thing. There are many many shades to it that we don't even know and it's such a personal thing. You know?"_

 _As the young teen took in her words her face continued to remain worried as she remembered how upset the cop had appeared to be last night in her bedroom when Sharon was present. Of course Stef had never said she was, nor had she uttered no such thing as she seem to encourage the meeting between Callie and Sharon but the young girl could read the blonde very well by now. Sometimes more then anyone else and she could see the pain, and the hurtful expression on her face, and the difference in her tone no matter how tough she appeared to be._

 ** _"Stefanie...I...I hope you don't mind I just...I just was saying hi to your daughter." Sharon said softly as Callie continued to hug Stef now looking up to her and observing the very intense glare the blonde was directing toward Sharon._**

 ** _"No..it's fine. I'm glad you two could meet." Stef responded shortly as she soon caught her daughter looking up at her and let out a wide smile to her._**

 ** _"Callie, my baby why don't you go ahead in my room. Lena and I will be in soon to talk ok sweets?" her voice now softer as she gently rubbed the teens face._**

 ** _Callie nodded as the cop placed a kiss on her forehead and let out a wink. But at this point after feeling how awkward and uncomfortable her mother seemed to be the young girl couldn't help but feel bad for talking to Sharon...almost like..like she betrayed her mother, almost like she had maybe let her down in some way or gone behind her back even if Stef gave no indication to any of these feelings. The young girl just had not meant to spill her heart out but she had found Sharon comforting and easy to talk to even if she still had a very hard time trusting adults for the only ones she did trust was Stef and Lena. Nonetheless the red head had surely caught her off guard but Callie merely attributed her level of comfort with the older woman to her being the blonde's mom and how sincere she seemed and was to her. Stef herself was surprised to see and hear Callie open up to her mother as much as she did but the blonde soon remembered when she was very young her mother had been her best friend as they had been very close before her father began to drink and become violent. Sharon had always been someone who always made the blonde feel truly comfortable, loved and understood at one point in her life. In many ways Stef realized she had parts of mother which she had not realized until she became Callie's foster mother._**

 ** _"Can...can I say bye?" she asked hesitantly as she looked into her mother soft eyes._**

 ** _"Of course love." Stef confirmed as she was somewhat surprised of the girls question as the teen now turned to face the red head._**

 ** _"It...it was nice meeting you." Callie said as she felt Stef's hand gently rub her shoulder._**

 ** _"It was nice meeting you too baby girl. And remember what I said." the redhead woman smiled wider then ever at the the young girl who had stolen her heart in a matter of minutes and as she looked up to her daughter she could see her face had softened a bit as well. It was true that the chemistry between the teen and her daughter continued to melt her heart as she now saw in person there close connection and the love they seemed to have for one another. Sharon had always known her daughter would be a wonderful mother one day, she knew it very well but witnessing it and observing it was another thing as she couldn't help but notice how affectionate, caring, loving and supportive her daughter truly was to the young girl._**

 ** _With this Callie could only smile as she looked up to her mother once again who let out a wink assuring her that it was ok. That it was ok that she had spoken to Sharon and that she had nothing to feel bad about and with that confirmation she began to relax._**

 ** _"I'll be in a second my love. Go ahead baby. Mama just needs to talk." she said as she kissed her forehead once again as Callie obeyed her mothers orders and headed to the doorway but soon turned around._**

 ** _"I love you mama and I'm..I'm really sorry."_**

 ** _"I know you are love. I know. And I love you too honey." the blonde smiled as she turned to look at the the teen._**

 _"Callie honey did you hear me sweetheart?" the teen suddenly heard Lena speaking as she had not realized she had zoned out and the slim woman was looking right at her_ ** _._**

 _"Yes...I'm.. I'm sorry...I was just thinking." she admitted shyly._

 _"It's ok honey your entitled to think sweetheart...I was just saying try not to worry so much..ok? Everything will be alright your mama knows what she's doing and how to handle herself. If anyone does. She does." Lena said trying to reassure her as the look of sadness continued to remain on the young girls face._

 _"I know...I just ..I miss her already...and I just want her to be ok."_

 _"I can assure you that she is fine love...and I know very well that you miss her. You both are very close." The slim woman placed her hand on Callie's arm gently rubbing it as she could see the look of sadness continuing to fill her face. But it wasn't just the sadness about missing the blonde for it was more then that as the teen realized she had been living with the blonde for a few months and she really considered it her home. It was the only home she had ever ever known and she loved it even if that still scared her beyond belief, even if she kept messing up in her mind, for she didn't want to leave. She didn't and she really didn't want to be moved to a permanent home not in the least. For the past few weeks she had just kept thinking over and over that she wanted Stef's home to be her permanent home. She wanted her to be her mother and she wanted to share her life with her and Lena. But the teen kept reminding herself that she couldn't ask for that...she...just didn't know how as this was not suppose to happen. It wasn't and she couldn't even remember when she had gotten so close to both women. She couldn't remember when calling Stef mama had turned into an everyday thing, she couldn't remember for the life of her when she started to depend on her even if at times she tired not to. She couldn't remember when she started to feel like this was her home, she couldn't remember when she started to love this life. She couldn't remember when she started to trust Lena more and see her as a mother as well. She couldn't and her memory continued to fail her._

 _"Callie what's wrong sweetheart?" the slim woman now moved her chair closer to the young girl as she could clearly see her eyes were beginning to tear as the teen failed to respond._

 _"It's ok honey. Do you want to call her or text her?"_

 _Callie now let out a low sigh._

 _"No...it's just..it's just I feel so lost when she's not around..like when she goes to work and stuff..and...I don't really know what to do. I don't and...and she's like my best friend and ...she's like my best friend and mama in one. Does... that make sense? No..it's stupid..I.." she shook her head as she continued to doubt her feelings._

 _"Callie that is not stupid. Not in the least honey." Lena said sternly as she continued to hold the teens hand._

 _"Listen..I am guessing you have never had someone like her in your life before, and when you find a special person like that and build a special relationship it's only natural for other feelings to come out, for feelings to grow as your relationship continues to grow honey. That is only normal sweetheart. It really is and the feelings you have...it's ok. It really is and never feel like how you feel is stupid."_

 _"Lena?"_

 _"Yeah bug?"_

 _"I...I don't want to leave...I don't want to go to some other home...I..love it here...I love mama and you and...it's just ..I didn't want to feel this way...I didn't want to get attached and I didn't think I would..and I just..I love both of you so much..I do and I don't want to leave either of you and.." Callie began to cry hysterically as Lena moved in quickly to hug her. To hug her tight and rub her back holding her gently but sternly to let the girl know she had her and that she wasn't letting go. Callie had never broken down in front of her when they had been alone not once and all she could do was just continue to hold the girl as she continued to cry in her arms. Lena knew she had been right in the fact that the teen wanted to remain with Stef, that she wanted her to be her mother legally, that she wanted so badly to be Callie Foster, and she knew it was more important then ever that Stef talked to her daughter immediately for it was evident they wanted the same thing._

 _"Callie it's ok honey...it's ok. We love you too. We love you so very much, and no one ever said you had to leave. We would never push you out, ever, and we both got very much attached to you as well. We have. We love seeing your face everyday, spending time with you and we love you just being here. It's like we told you last night honey you have become very much apart of our lives. Very much and you know what Cal?" she asked gently pulling away as she wiped the girls tears as her sad eyes looked into her._

 _"I think your mama, which she very much is, might be feeling what you are." Lena could feel the tears fall down her face now as well. She wanted very much to tell the girl that Stef had every intention of adopting her but she didn't feel it was right to tell her without the blonde present._

 _Upon hearing her words the teen leaned in and hugged the slim woman again tighter then before as Lena had always made her feel safe in many ways. She was warm, she was sensitive, she was understanding and gentle and the young girl loved her dearly. She loved her so much._

 _"I love you mom." she whispered as the curly haired woman felt her heart break upon hearing what the teen called her as the young girl remained in her arms for what seemed like hours as Callie soon pulled away._

 _"I have an idea.." the slim woman said as she kissed the young girls forehead and Callie looked into her eyes._

 _"Why don't we finish up breakfast and you tag along with me. I have a few errands to run and it's always more fun with company."_

 _"But I'm grounded." the teen reminded._

 _"I know sweetheart...your mom and I discussed we don't want to leave you alone all day. So how about you come along with me to the bank and the farmers market? There's a new one over in North Park I want to try out. Maybe we can grab somethings from there and cook dinner together for your mama?"_

 _Callie smiled happily at the mere mention of her mother and nodded her head in agreement as the brunette passed her a few napkins to blow her nose._

 _"Oh and before I forget because lord knows she won't do it I have to drop your mothers uniforms off at the cleaners, so why don't you grab them out of her closest for me. That would be a big help."_

 _"Ok." the young girl smiled._

 _With this Lena kissed the girls forehead yet again and Callie could only smile as maybe the thoughts she was having of becoming Callie Foster weren't impossible for Lena had certainly hinted at it even if the teen continued to have her doubts._


	31. I Saw Her

**Hope you all enjoy! It was a tough one to get out for some reason! If I do any updates to this I will let you know! On to the next chapter!-Stef1981**

 _CALLIE POV_

 _"So you and mama met over coffee?" I asked curiously as Lena and I strolled through the farmers market in North Park and sipping on the green iced tea she had gotten me to ease my cramps. The morning had been beautiful as I enjoyed feeling the warm San Diego sun on my skin realizing what a difference a day truly made as it had been a stark contrast to the nightmare yesterday had been. To be honest I was just grateful and happy mama and I had made up and that both her and Lena had gotten me to spill the reason for my outburst which had been scary to admit it, it had been scary to admit all of it but getting it out made me feel like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. A tremendous weight. Nonetheless I also couldn't help but be worried that my punishment would make both Lena and mama treat me differently but if anything they continued to be even more supportive and loving. Unconditional love was something I was still trying to understand as they continued to show it to me no matter what the circumstances were or had been._

 _"Yes we did. We talked for three hours that day. Or maybe it was four." she said smiling as I could only smile myself thinking of their first exchange. It was true I had never been around two people who loved each other more then they did and I had never really witnessed so much affection, so much love and respect. It was nice to see and it warmed my heart to witness it on a daily basis._

 _"That's so sweet." I responded._

 _"It was and we just found out we had a lot in common and we liked and enjoyed the same things. We just...we just clicked."_

 _I nodded my head as I felt Lena's hand softly in mine._

 _"Lena?"_

 _"Yeah honey?"_

 _"Will you guys ever get married? I mean you love each other so much and stuff." I asked curiously as it had been on my mind for a bit of time. I wasn't sure if I was being invasive and stepping over my boundaries but both mama and Lena had always said I could ask them anything and I was trying to remember that._

 _"Actually we do plan on getting married honey. We just have a few things to do first before we do that. Where we would live, maybe buying a house, and plan a wedding and things. It's a few things honey." she looked to me and let out a soft smile as I couldn't help but feel guilty._

 _"Is it because of me?" I hesitantly asked._

 _"What?"Lena now stopped as I now looked down to the ground. It was true I did feel like maybe me coming along had interrupted something...and that I...that I messed up there plans and maybe they couldn't marry because of all my issues and things I had._

 _"Callie honey.." she said placing her hands on my face as my eyes looked into hers._

 _"No..honey it is not because of you. Not at all sweetheart. Both your mama and I have a few things we both need to work out and take care of before we settle into together permanently and get married. But it's, it's not because of you honey. Not in the least, and believe me when we do have our wedding we already know one person we want in it. We know our flower girl bug." she smiled warmly once again as my eyes locked with hers as I tried so hard to believe the words that she spoke to me. But, I was finding it difficult to accept them._

 _"Did you guys live together before me?" Slowly my eyes trailed back up to hers as I suddenly felt nervous about asking such a personal question._

 _"No sweetheart. Yes, we slept over each others but we didn't live together. Cal..what are you worried about honey?" her face turning even more concerned._

 _"I...I just don't want to mess up anything for you guys. I..." she slowly placed her hands on my shoulders._

 _"Callie you aren't. You aren't honey. As I told you before you have brought a lot of joy into our lives. A ton. And you are not in our way, or messing anything up. Ok my love?"_

 _I nodded._

 _"Come here honey." she gently wrapped her arms around me again as I leaned into her wrapping my arms around her as well._

 _"You're a special person Callie. You really are and your mama and I are going to work even harder to get you to believe that. To get you to see that not everything is your fault, or that you are to blame for things. That is one of our goals for you."_

 _I nodded once again as she rubbed the side of my face._

 _"How about we go look around some more ok sweetheart?"_

 _"Ok." I let out a smile as she kissed my cheek._

* * *

 _As we spent the rest of the day walking around the market Lena had honestly shown me a wonderful time and I enjoyed being with her despite missing mama terribly, actually pretty badly, and it was good to know I didn't need to hide my feelings about how much I missed her. And I didn't need hide behind who I really was and felt for I knew Lena knew.. and she had done amazing things to ease my pain and worry. Aside from easing my fears about being in the way of her and Stefs relationship she had let me sample all of the delicious food the market had to offer such as exotic fruits, and fresh baked breads and sauces. She explained to me what wines went with what foods, and let me sample how each pasta tasted different with specific sauces. It was all pretty cool and I didn't anticipate having so much fun as she walked us over to the cabbages._

 _"See Cal, look how nice and purple they are?" Lena said as she showed me the different varieties of cabbage and how to pick the best ones. I admit I had no clue whatsoever about picking out cabbage or what to look for, but she seemed to be pretty knowledgeable about it and in food in general. That certainly explained why everything she cooked tasted like it was from a gourmet restaurant. Even mama said she should have been a chef and told me as a kid Lena had traveled the world with her parents. I could believe it, she just seemed like she was super worldly and highly educated about other cultures, people and places. The only place I had traveled was from Michigan to San Diego. As I watched Lena touch and feel the cabbages and saw how excited she got about it all I realized she was a lot of fun. But in a different way then mama of course. I mean it was true I had been really hesitant to open up to her and talk to her alone, and we had rarely spent that much alone together but I knew I loved her and my heart felt it as well for I had let the word mom slip out back at the apartment. Truth was... I guess I was a little nervous about how she would respond to it, but all she had done was smile warmly at me as tears had fallen down her cheek and we had continued to hug._

 _"It's really hard...Is it suppose to be?" I said knocking on it as I scrunched my face up and took a whiff of it._

 _"You sound just like your mother Cal." She laughed as I continued to knock on it now shaking it._

 _"But yes cabbages are super hard. Once it gets mushy and starts to get slimy its no good. But these are very fresh and I think I will definitely make the roasted cabbage tonight. These are too good to pass up."_

 _"Here bug open the bag for me so I can places these in there. I think I will get a couple." She said happily as I held the canvas shopping tote open for her. It was funny how she handled that thing like it was a precious diamond or stone compared to mama who just threw crap in the cart when we went shopping which always made me laugh. The contrast between shopping with Lena vs mama was funny actually. Lena always brought along her shopping totes that she kept neatly in the trunk of her car and she had given the same ones to mama. Funny enough Stef always forgot them at home and we ended up using plastic ones from the store which defeated the purpose...but it was still humorous to me._

 ** _"Ahh crap." Stef said as we pulled up to the grocery store as I noticed she turned her body around to rummage for something in the back seat. I lowered her super loud rock music down._**

 ** _"Whats wrong mama?" I asked chewing on a bag of Swedish fish while stretching my legs out and resting my bare feet that Stef painted blue on the dashboard._**

 ** _"I forgot those ..those freakin' bags Lena gave me again. For the love of Christ."_**

 ** _I could only laugh as I shook my head for this was about the 100th time she had forgotten them._**

 ** _"Mama, why don't you just keep them in the car like Lena does? She has a bag in her trunk for them. Maybe we should do that." I suggested as she looked over at me and stuck her tongue out. All I could do was giggle again at her expression._**

 ** _"Please..I can barely remember to put my badge on in the morning and I'm going to remember some bags. Goodness.. if you weren't attached to me at the hip I might forget you too." she poked my nose with her finger and made another silly face at me as I couldn't help but smile and shake my head once again._**

 ** _"But you know I'd never forget you my love. It's hard to forget your mini me." she winked as I let out another grin at the comparison and continued to stuff my face with candy which I had to admit was getting stuck in my molars._**

 ** _"Hey, sharing is caring toss me a fish babe."_**

 ** _I smiled wide at her as I threw a fish in her mouth and she surprisingly caught it._**

 ** _"Wow! Good catch ma."_**

 ** _"You bet your life good catch. Now lets go and contribute to the waste of the world since I can't remember things to save my damm life."_**

 _Shopping with Stef didn' take very long either, maybe twenty minutes tops as she literally drove the cart like a mad women zipping down each aisle as fast as she could while I rode on the front of it like a 10 year old. It was true that people would stare sometimes as we both were very silly and playful for our age. Nonetheless it still amazed me how she could be such a strict, over protective, rule following cop at times, and on the other side be a silly big kid once she took her uniform off. But I suspected she acted extra silly because she was aware of how I missed out on so much as a kid and never had a real childhood. I didn't mind her either way for sometimes her being serious comforted me in ways that no one ever did and she had a way of making positive things happen for me because of this._

 ** _"Now what do we need..mm?" Stef asked looking around and trying hard to remember what we came in here for since we never made a list like Lena did._**

 ** _"Tomatoes. Remember you wanted to make tacos mama."_**

 ** _"Oh yes. Taco Tuesday. See I told you my memory."_**

 ** _"Senior moments in your old age." I blurted out sarcastically as she turned to look at me lifting her eyebrow up and snatching my bag of fish._**

 ** _"Now there mine missy for that little age comment."_**

 ** _I couldn't help but bust out laughing once again as we made our way over to the tomatoes in the produce section. Stef picked up a few and put them back digging through the pile for one that looked decent enough._**

 ** _"Oh we need guacamole too ma." I said taking the bag of candy back and touching her long blonde hair twirling it around my finger._**

 ** _"Yup. How's this one love..no dents, looks clean, good enough right babe?" she handed it to me as I examined it myself._**

 ** _"Yup. Looks good to me."_**

 ** _"Good." She threw it in the cart and snatching my bag of fish back._**

 _The other difference between mama and Lena was that Lena was dead set against junk food, like dead set against it but...mama oh boy. The first few times we went grocery shopping I couldn't believe how much junk food she got us for she literally let me get anything I wanted. ...which she still does. Ice cream, cookies, candy, chips. I mean we wouldn't eat it all in one night but it didn't last too long between the two of us._

 ** _"See..people think your mama is crazy Cals." she said as I let out another wide smile as one of my hands wrapped around her waist and she kissed my forehead as we entered the cookie aisle._**

 ** _"Nope only when she's in her normal clothes." I laughed._**

 ** _"What silly girl?" Stef gave me a look as she held up two different oreo cookie packages._**

 ** _"Regular or double stuffed love?"_**

 ** _"Double... Mama it's true when you're in uniform your way more serious. Like super serious."_**

 ** _"Nonsense Cals." she threw the cookies in the cart._**

 ** _"Totally Stefs. I mean you can be kind of intimidating actually." I stuffed another Swedish fish in my mouth as I tossed one in hers and she caught it once again._**

 ** _"No way. I'm the least intimidating person ever my love." she laughed as she looked at me in disbelief._**

 ** _"Not really...I mean when I first met you...I was scared...I don't know. I didn't know ...I was just freaked out and it was hard to know if..well.. ..." I said thinking back as she looked to me warmly and gently rubbed my face._**

 ** _"I understand my love...I know I was stern with you because I knew you were in trouble, and I knew how scared you were my love. I also knew you were lying."_**

 ** _"Yeah...I figured you knew..and I felt really bad about it...it..it was scary to look into your eyes and I'm sorry I ran away from you that morning when you were trying to help me when I fell outside the school. I'm sorry I ran away from you at the beach too and you fell in the sand. I felt so bad about that and ...I just...I didn't.." I admitted now looking to the floor as we continued to walk down the aisle as she slowly pushed the cart, but we stopped as she soon realized how upset I began to feel._**

 ** _"Hey, hey sweets...it's alright. You had just met me and I knew you were frightened. It's not easy to just accept help like that. Plus you were terrified and Lena and I both understood that. We did my love. No harm done and no over apologizing. Ok baby?"_**

 ** _"Ok." I nodded my head looking into her hazel eyes._**

 ** _"Good, because now this overly serious intimating cop is your mama so be scared. Be very scared." she laughed as she put her arm around me and all I could do was let out another wide smile for she was truly the most amazing person and foster mother I ever had._**

 ** _"But Cal remember just one thing for me my love. I'm always always your mother always before I'm a cop. Remember that..yes?"_**

 ** _"Yes." I responded._**

 ** _"Good, now toss me another fish and lets get outta here as I will attempt to make tacos tonight."_**

 _"Callie?"_

 _I suddenly snapped out of my memory as I heard Lena calling my name as she stood over by the tomatoes._

 _"Huh?" I said looking over to her confused as I had no idea what she said to me._

 _"I was asking if you could pick out some tomatoes for me honey. We need some for the salad tonight."_

 _"Sure...but um..can I take a few photos...all the stuff has such pretty colors."_

 _"Mmm, a few honey but stay close by..we need to get going soon ok?"_

 _I nodded my head acknowledging Lena's request as I soon made my way over to the other side of the crates of fruit and vegetables..soon admiring the vibrant colors and smells myself._

 _"And Cal, make sure they are very red, firm, no dents or bruises on them. Ok?"_

 _"Sure!" I responded back as I carried one of Lena's totes and took out my phone and snapping a few up close range photos. Looking at the background of my phone it was a picture of me and mama at the beach. I smiled at it as I opened up the text window to send her a message again._

 _"Having a good day mama. I miss you so much. -Love Cals xoxox."_

 _I pressed send and took a few more shots of the yellow and green tomatoes as my phone soon dinged back as message from Stef came back._

 _"I'm so glad baby. Lena can be alot of fun. Enjoy her my love. And I miss you too. See you soon sweets.- xoxo Mama_

 _I smiled at the message as I was hoping her breakfast with Sharon was going ok as I felt a few of the tomatoes looking for the super vibrant red ones. I snapped yet another photo when my ears almost felt like they playing some weird trick on me for the voice I heard was...was too familiar but I just wasn't fully sure. Placing yet another tomato in Lena's tote I heard the voice again and this time I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I felt a chill, I felt a panic as I slowly turned my head to look behind me. In the distance...it was...it was who ...it was who I excepted as now I couldn't breath. My legs froze, my eyes froze on her. It...it was Justina. My body...it had more fear and panic then anything I had ever experienced...my mind went back..it went back to the past, and I felt the blows, I felt my stomach turn...as she stood there with another young girl and ran her hands through the girls hair. I couldn't ...I couldn't stop looking for my eyes wouldn't move. They wouldn't move away from her as she ..as she soon found my eyes and stared right out me. She stared right at me and let out a smirk. She let out a wide smirk at me as I soon felt the tomatoes drop out of my hand and fall onto the floor along with my phone which I heard crack. I tried..I tried to call for mama but I couldn't...I couldn't get the words out..and..._

 _"Mama..Mama..._

 _"Hey miss...you have to pay for those tomatoes!" I heard a man say as he came up to me seeing the fallen and squashed tomatoes on the floor. But..but I couldn't respond...for I couldn't move and I couldn't breath. I couldn't breath at all as it was now heavy...I looked around..I looked around...as tears soon fell from my face._

 _"Mama! Mama!" I yelled._

 _"Mama!..." I yelled again as I looked around panicked for Stef forgetting she was not with me and that..that only intensified my fear._

 _"Mama! Mama! I screamed._

 _"Callie, Callie what's wrong..whats wrong honey? What happened?" I felt someone grab my hand as I turned to see Lena standing next to me and holding me tightly._

 _"What happened honey? What happened...are you ok?"_

 _But I couldn't respond...I was so scared...I was so afraid...I...I just wanted Stef more then anything. She was the only person I wanted...I..looked up to see Justina was gone but my body continued to remain frozen as Lena continued to look at me and put her arm around me._

 _"Sweetie what happened? Talk to me honey."_

 _"Miss you have to pay for those tomatoes she dropped. That's 10 dollars right there."_

 _"Yes, yes..." I heard her respond as she handed the money to the man and grabbed my cracked cell phone from the ground as I continued to tremble in her arms._

 _"I want mama...please...I just want her. Can we go to her? I just want mama..please" I said as I continued to feel the tears fall from my face and felt my chest tighten up even more._

 _"I...I can't breath...I..."_

 _"Ok sweetheart...I have you...it's ok. I'm here for you.I am honey. Let's..let's walk slowly to the car..ok? Let's walk slowly so we can head home...and you can relax. Come walk slowly with me sweetheart."_

 _"I...I want mama...can you call mama...please Lena...please?"My eyes were filled with tears as my body continued to feel nothing but fear as I was now uncontrollable.I was more afraid then I ever have been, more then anything._

 _"Ok honey..ok...but first let's get you to the car and we can call her ok?" her face still filled with worry and she soon touched my forehead._

 _"Goodness your sweating like crazy." She took out a napkin from her bag and wiped my face leading me to a bench as we slowly sat. Gently she began to rub my back as she coached me on breathing in and out slowly._

 _"Breath in through your nose honey and out of your mouth..slowly.." she held my hand as I mimicked her breathing._

 _"In and out slowly sweetheart...it's ok I have you." she wiped my face once again as I felt her rub my sweating back. I had not even realized how much I had started to sweat just out of my pure fear as all those old feelings began to resurface in my body and mind._

 _"Drink some of this water honey. Drink it nice and slow."_

 _As my breathing began to return back to normal I slowly drank the water and felt Lena gently hold my hand._

 _"Good girl. Nice and slow. Are you ok sweetheart?" she gently rubbed the side of my face._

 _I nodded my head._

 _"What happened sweetie...it's ok..you can tell me."_

 _I didn't want to say it...I just...I just wanted mama..I wanted her more then anything._

 _"Lena...I just...I just want mama...I just..." I said as I continued to cry and she held me tight._

 _"Callie...sweetheart...I know you want your mama...I know honey, I know you want her more then anything, but...I'm here for you. I am sweetheart and let me help you honey. Let me sweetheart." I felt her hold my hand and wrap her arms around me even tighter...as I tired..tired hard to get my words out...but I couldn't get them out ..I couldn't as I could feel my body tense up once again._

 _"It's ok honey...it's ok..just let it out sweetheart...I have you. I have you." she continued to assure me...but I was afraid...I was so horribly_ _afraid._

 _"Please...I just want mama..I'm so scared..I'm scared.." the tears continued to stream down my face as my body continued to tremble in her arms as Lena just held me even tighter._

 _"Sweetie I promise you...you can tell me. You can trust me, remember I love you. I love you very much honey and I know it's scary without your mama here, I know it is, and I promise we will call her but talk to me sweetheart. Talk to me honey its ok. It's ok." I felt her kiss the side of my face as she held me harder and the tears just kept falling from my face._

 _"She...she might be here...she..." I began as my body moved even closer to her._

 _"Who honey? Who might be here?"_

 _"Lena...I..I saw Justina. I..I saw her...I" I looked up into her eyes as my vision was blurry and clouded from the tears and her face turned surprised as she held me tighter._

 _"Goodness...sweetheart...are...are you sure honey?"_

 _"Yes...yes..."I nodded my head._

 _"..I saw her...and...and I'm..I'm scared..I'm so scared that she's.." I felt Lena grab me and hug me harder wraping her arms completely around me gently rubbing my back as my face dug into her chest._

 _"It's ok bug...it's ok..you don't need to be scared..I'm right here with you and she will never ever touch you or harm you. It's ok. It's ok." her arms squeezing me even more._

 _"Let's get you home sweetheart. Can you walk for me? I will hold you..and not let you go..I promise bug. Ok?"_

 _"What...what if she is here?" I looked once again into her eyes as they remained concerned._

 _"I won't let her get you. I promise you that Callie. Me and your mama will never let her get you. Ever."Gently she placed both of her hands on my face looking intensely into my eyes._

 _"You...you promise?"_

 _"I promise honey. I promise you have nothing to be afraid of."_

 _I slowly nodded my head as my eyes continued to stream with tears as she once again wrapped her arms around me holding me close and I soon pulled away glancing into her eyes._

 _"Lena...can we call mama? Please...can we..I.."_

 _"Of course honey, of course. Let's get out of here and head to the car." She gently wiped my tears as she slowly lead me to the car protecting me with her arms and holding me closer then ever._


	32. Forgiveness

**Hope you all enjoy! I wanted to get this out to you today! IT was another difficult chapter to write to be honest. Hope you enjoy it.-Stef1981**

 **And Happy Birthday to Teri Polo/Stef today! We all love you! (Cuz without her there would be no Stef) Even though Stef's birthday is 4/14 :)**

 _STEF POV_

 _I didn't know what in the world I had gotten myself into. I didn't know what I was doing and I surely wasn't in the mood to handle this at all, but I said I would do it. I said I would and despite my nerves that were definitely getting the best of me I made my way to the Holiday Inn where...where my my mother was staying. This wasn't a good idea, there were so many things pointing against it and going alone was even worse for ..for this would make me face more then my past. Much much more for this...this would make me face the present and that seemed to be no picnic either regarding either of my parents. "Your father is sick." That's all that kept replaying in my mind over and over. Truth was ..I didn't know how to feel about that. How could I feel? If I didn't care I'd be shit daughter. If I did care I'd be excusing his behavior and there was no excuse for it. None...how could there be. Making peace with my past, I didn't even know what that meant, none of it as seeing my mother last night just brought back a whirlwind of painful memories some that I had not thought about in decades._

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

 _"So Frank, Stefanie is doing well in school. She's in honors." My mother said happily as we all sat at the dinner table pretending to be a happy family while the punch my father had given me two days ago had puffed up my right jaw. Looking over to him with nothing but hatred in my eyes..I knew he didn't care as he continued to woof down his food and beer while never changing out of his uniform or looking to me and my mother. My father was a better police officer then he was a father and husband for many of his friends praised him and raved about what a wonderful guy he was, how he had helped so many people, saved many lives, and how many honors and medal he had gotten. It was another reason my mother failed to call the police whenever he beat us up. Who would helps us I thought to myself as all I could do was roll my eyes at my mothers stupid comment. As I looked to her she let out a soft smile at me trying hard to involve him in my life for whatever reason and trying more then anything to ward off a fight that we would inevitable get into._

 _"Frank..I thought maybe we could go to her awards ceremony. It's Friday night."_

 _Again my father said nothing as she took a swig of his beer._

 _"Sharon, I'm working. Friday night is overtime. I have no time for some silly awards ceremony. Who else do you think will put food on the table? Certainly not you." he mumbled as I could feel the blood boil in my body. Glancing to my mother once again she had lowered her eyes._

 _"Like I'd invite you anyway." I whispered under my breathe not realizing how loud I was as I took a small bite of my frozen chicken dinner._

 _"Stefanie hush." my mother placed her hand on top of mine as she now looked to me with concern. I knew I was always mouthing off, and talking back. But I had a right too. No one deserved to be treated like shit and I knew if I was ever a cop I'd be a much better one then my father, but I'd also been an even better parent on top of that._

 _"She didn't mean that Frank of course you are invited. She's just being silly. Aren't you Stefanie." Once again she looked to me with a pleading glare to agree with her. To pass my comment off as a joke. But I wouldn't and she knew that._

 _"Staring that mouth up again huh?" he coldly voiced to me as his eyes stared into mine. But I wasn't afraid...or if I was I'd never ever show it to him. Ever... and I wouldn't blink as my cold hate filled eyes locked with his. I really and honestly believed that my father hated me...In fact I knew he hated me more then anything and I never understood why. The last time he had said he loved me was when I was about 6 when he had been loving, caring father that had shown me the world though his eyes. And that world amazed me as he sometimes had taken me to work with him which I loved, and I was in awe of how strong he was, how he wasn't afraid of bad guys, how he didn't bat an eyelash, how he came home and barbecued with us, taught me to ride a bike, and even braided my hair from time to time and played Barbies. But one day...it all changed and I never understand what happened, how he could just switch from one day to the next. How alcohol could change him, how..life could change him. But as I continued to grow older and older his hate only intensified as I felt it with each blow he had given me and my mother._

 _"You just watch how you talk to me little girl. Because I've seen you...I have." his eyes turning even colder as I had no idea what in the hell he was talking about._

 _"What?" I said._

 _"I've seen you parading around the mall, around El Cajon! I've seen you down the street with that...that girl. You want to throw your life away..using drugs?"_

 _"I don't use drugs!" I yelled back_

 _"Frank what are you talking about?" my mother soon chimed in with a hint of confusion in her voice and nerves._

 _It was true I never used hard drugs I had only smoked weed a few times..that was all...but my stomach turned at the mention of Rebecca...I knew what he was talking about. I had went out with Rebecca a few times as friends, and...and we had held hands..but that didn't mean anything even if I wanted it to. I had wrapped my arms around her waist at the park but I was just being...I was just being affectionate so I told myself, and we had went on El Cajon to buy weed. I knew it...but I didn't know my father had seen me for we had stayed hidden. Well for the most part, but it had slipped my mind that maybe a few of his friends had patrolled the area and had seen me...but I would deny it. I'd play it off._

 _"I don't even know what your talking about...you're such an asshole." I lied rolling my eyes...but then...I felt it. Before I could even realize it I was on the floor and my face pressed against the wood of it... my head throbbing._

 _"Frank! Don't what are you doing!" I heard my mother yell.._

 _"Leave her alone she hasn't done anything! Please honey...leave her alone!"_

 _"She hasn't... No! This little blonde...you know what your daughter is? Do you know! Tell her Stefanie! Tell you mother what you really are? Parading around here like a...like a dyke..I've seen her! I saw you holding hands with that girl! I saw you with your hands wrapped around her waist today! I saw you! I saw you for the slut you are!" I felt him...I felt him grab my hair as I now stood up and he pushed me back to the wall."_

 _"You like to embarrass me! Is that what you like to do huh?" he slapped me repetitively across the face as I refused...i refused to cry as I could see my mother trying to pull him away from me and he pushed her back and she feel across the dining room table._

 _"Mom!" I yelled._

 _"Shut up! Shut up this is your fault! This all of it is your fault for you just won't listen!" he screamed even more angrily as he punched me once gain on the side of my face and I refused I refused even more to cry as my eyes were burning, my face was burning._

 _"You do as I say! I'm in charge of you! I'm in charge of your weak mother! I'm in charge of both of you! Everything you say, everything you do, everywhere you go! I am in charge! You wont see that girl again! You come home right after school and you stay this house! And forget that...that guy your seeing. Whatever his name is!... Man you...you are just all mixed up aren't you...you good for nothing little tramp!_ "

 _"No! I won't do a damm thing you say!" I screamed as every bone in my body hurt as he held me by my neck and I began to cough._

 _"Stefanie, just do as your father says. Please." I saw my mother begging as blood ran down the side of her face and she was picked up the food that had fallen to the floor._

 _"Please baby...just...just... listen to him." she continued to beg._

 _"No...no ..I won't." my voice shook as I tried harder then ever to conceal the pain I was in._

 _"No? No?! He screamed again kicking me in the stomach now and throwing me to the ground._

 _"Frank...please stop your going to kill her. Please..."_

 _"She will learn! She will learn what happens!"_

 _ **FLASHBACK ENDS**_

 _That night as I remember my father beat me for an hour as I refused...I refused to give in. But the pain..the pain I felt was like nothing I had ever felt as I felt each blow, each kick, and each punch. I had stopped hearing my mother...I had only heard her begging me to say sorry. Begging me to give in and apologize. But I wouldn't...I didn't...and..I was suddenly startled out of my memory by a loud car honk realizing I had almost hit someone. Pulling to the side of the rode I realized.. I needed to relax myself._

 _"Stef you need to calm down. You..you can't go there. You can't do this. Maybe you should just turn around. Maybe." I began to slowly breath as I heard my cell chime. Looking to it all I could do was smile when I saw the message._

 _"Mama I miss you already. Get to the hotel safe...and I love you to the moon and back. More then that. XOXO-Cals."_

 _Feeling my heart warm once again as it had almost covered over in ice as I thought of my past I quickly responded for this little girl was a true angel to me._

 _"Aww mama loves you too baby girl. Will let you know when I get there and be good. Mind Lena my love. -xoxo Mama"_

 _Smiling once again at my babies message...I quickly put the phone away and pulled out onto the road again for if my daughter could face her demons I could as well, and that was something I really needed to remember more then anything right now._

* * *

 _Sharon Cooper could only feel nothing but pure anxiety and nerves as she waited patiently for her daughter to arrive the hotel. A daughter that until yesterday she had not seen in over 20 years in which she had no one to blame but herself for that gap. It was true that yesterday had not gone over very well as she had expected for she knew Stefanie would be angry, she knew she was hurt, and she knew her daughter did not want to see her. Part of her had hoped, just a small part of her had wished that maybe she would have hugged her, she would have smiled at her, and that she would have uttered the word, mom, to her. After witnessing both her and Callie...how the two had touched her heart, how the two had touched her soul and warmed her heart, the red head did not regret one bit that she had stopped by her apartment, she did not regret meeting Lena, she did not regret meeting young Callie and she most certainly did not regret seeing her little girl again no matter how old she was now. That she would never regret. The thing she regretted the most was waiting so long. Was getting the courage to show up even if she was not fully aware of where she was, but she knew she could have tried harder to find her. She knew that but ...but Sharon was ashamed. She was ashamed of herself and of the poor choices she had made for her and her daughter. Choices she could not take back, choices she could not erase, and choices that had pained the both of them._

 _As the nervous red head sat on the couch of the little suite she had booked for the weekend her hands now shook and trembled as she gently flipped through the old photographs of her daughter from when she was a little girl and a teenager. Continuing to go through each one she could see as she had gotten older her face had only gotten sadder, her expression more hurt, her expression more pained and her true self even more locked up and hidden. There was no sense of pride, there was no sense of joy, there was no sense of love. Just a longing for...a longing for acceptance, a longing for happiness, and a longing for love. These photos that she had carried around for years in her wallet and in her bag for she had no recent ones were such a stark contrast to the photos she had seen in her daughters apartment that had lined her hallways and bedroom just last night. In those photos, the blonde was radiant, her smile filled with nothing but happiness, the affection she..the affection she showed with Lena, of her and Lena hugging, of her and Lena kissing, the affection she showed with her daughter. How she looked, she looked so much like herself for once in her life. Her daughter, her little girl had found the happiness she had always been looking for. That she always had been seeking. The happiness she could never provide her. The happiness the red head had only found a few months ago herself. She was well aware that Stefanie's anger was surly justified for the night she left, the night she ran away and finally had had enough of her father, Sharon could have went after her. She should have went after her, but...but she didn't. She let her go. She let her go escape and start her own life. A life away from her father, a life away from the abusive household and life she had shown her. How could a mother let her child leave like that. How could she. How could she not run after her knowing fully where she was going... But she knew...she knew deep inside that Stefanie would make her own way. That she would be fine, that she would be ok once she was away from them. She knew that. And she had been right. She had been fully right for her daughter possessed the kind of confidence, the kind of independence and the kind of strength to build a life from anywhere and leave all that pain behind. In the midst of it all her daughter had embraced the person she had always been..the person her father had never allowed her to be, and the person after a few years into her teen years she had never allowed her daughter to be. Now looking to the last photo of the young girl when she was barely 10 Sharon could see the tears fall down her face...and that was something she had never noticed in that photo but it was there..it was there and clear as the light of day Sharon could see now as she suddenly heard a knock at the door._

 _Letting out a low sigh and slowly getting up she turned the knob to open the door and there was...there was her little girl. Her long blonde hair now in waves, dressed in jeans, a tank top and a plaid shirt. Sharon knew her daughter had loved plaid from the time she could remember and she found it funny that it still seemed to remain in her closet. Stef herself still wasn't in the best of moods as she locked eyes with the woman she held more anger against then anyone. But she was here, she was here already and there was really no turning back. If she was going to talk and let it all out...she would._

 _"Hi..Stefanie. Please come in." Sharon said nervously as Stef failed to smile back and only walked into the hotel room holding her decorated coffee Thermos that was filled with pictures of her, Lena and Callie. The young girl had ordered it offline for her mother and Lena and it was one of the many gifts the young girl would warm the blonde's heart with._

 _"I made us some breakfast...the room I booked came with a little kitchenette. I..I made some toast, with eggs and bacon." The red head walked the two slowly over to the kitchen area as Stef took a seat feeling more agitated then ever._

 _"Just toast and coffee for me." She finally voiced as she looked to her phone and saw another message from her little girl. A smile soon graced her face once again._

 _"Having a good day mama. I miss you so much. -Love Cals xoxox."_

 _That could only warm her heart as she quickly she responded back which did not go unnoticed by the red head. The fact that Stef's entire_ _demeanor_ _could change that quickly spoke volumes of the relationship she had with Callie._

 _"I'm so glad baby. Lena can be a lot of fun. Enjoy her my love. And I miss you too. See you soon sweets.- xoxo Mama_

 _Placing the phone back on the table in front of her..the smile she held had quickly faded as the red head looked into her eyes._

 _"She's wonderful little girl and she's so lucky to have you honey." Sharon stood by the sink placing some toast on a plate._

 _"Yeah..she's an amazing little girl." Stef responded harshly._

 _"Lena is as well a wonderful woman. I really enjoyed talking to her yesterday and.."_

 _"Mother are we going to talk or not?" the blonde said forcefully as she could feel her mothers nerves, and her skirting around the elephant in the room. To her there was no time to beat around the bush, there was no time for small talk or chit chat. The real issue was what she came here for. Not to build a shattered relationship, not to ask her how her day was or anything. She held no interest in any of it as she herself had neglected to ask any questions about her mothers life._

 _Upon hearing the impatient tone in her daughters voice and the look of anger she held in her eyes the red head slowly took her seat across from the young blonde placing the toast in front of her. It was clear to Sharon that Stefanie would not make this easy, that it would be difficult and the talk would be difficult no matter who started it._

 _"Yes, we are going to talk honey...I just didn't know if you wanted to dive right into it."_

 _"Yeah well I do. I have things to do."_

 _"Fair enough of course." Sharon swallowed the large lump that had formed in her throat as her hands began to shake a bit once again as Stef looked down to witness it. She wasn't fully sure the kind of effect she was having on Sharon but...it was evident it was not a good one. Nonetheless she ignored it._

 _"Stefanie...look...I...I to be honest I don't know what to really say. I..I was up all night think of how this was really going to go, what I was going to say to you to ...to just to just see if we could try to build something, anything I guess. I know that...I know your angry about the past...and I wish to god I could change it. I wish I had been a stronger person. I wish I had been but...but I wasn't. I was weak, I was...depressed, I wasn't...I didn't have the ability to do what needed to be done for you. I...I just didn't and I know that's no excuse..I know it's not and..._

 _"And you stood there watching him literally beat the shit out of me. You watched mother." Stef could only feel the anger again that she had been harboring for decades...she had heard the woman..she had but it didn't...it just didn't ..._

 _"I know...I know I watched I know it. I know I didn't do anything. I tried to...I... And I live with that guilt everyday baby... I.." she gently placed her hand on top of the blondes whom pulled it away fiercely._

 _"Oh yeah... you tried...you tried to get me to accept it! To accept the things he told me about myself! To accept the punches he gave me. To accept that it was ok for him to come home drunk and beat both of us to death! Yeah you tried!"_

 _"I did try Stefanie in ways that maybe you wouldn't understand back then. I was...I was in a hard position then and had no one to turn too and..._

 _"Oh ok. Yeah I hear you. Yeah I wouldn't understand." the blonde said with nothing but sarcasm in her voice._

 _"Stefanie...your father had the whole squad on his side...I didn't...I didn't have anyone..I couldn't go home..I couldn't call the police...I was flat broke and the little money I did save up he would always find it and..." Sharon trailed off as she realized what she was saying was not helping her case as she had not meant to tell it in this way as she heard her daughter let out a loud sigh of frustration._

 _"I... thought maybe if...if you just told your father what he wanted to hear that he would stop. That he would leave you alone...but I didn't know how to stop him...I was incapable at the time and I was...he was so strong...he was sooo...so monstrous and..." tears now rolling down the red heads face as she too was brought back to the many times her ex husband had beaten them both of them. How he had thrown her against a wall, how he had thrown Stefanie against the floor and kicked her numerous times. How she let it go on for almost 10 years...how she failed..._

 _"You know what...I honestly thought I could sit here and listen to this..and...try to hear you but.. I ..I can't deal with this...My life was fine before..before all this shit and.." the cop said now getting up frustrated and storming toward the door._

 _"I dont know what I expected to hear from you! I don't!" she yelled turning back around where the red head had quickly followed behind grabbing the womans arm._

 _"Stefanie please don't leave! Please baby...each time I've tried to talk to you as a kid, as a teen you ran away from me and..please..I just...look nothing I am saying is coming out right..it just isn't and I don't know how to say it in a way that will fix things. That will..."_

 _"Well then maybe it's not meant to fix. Maybe it's just not...so you go on about your life and...and I'll go on about mine mother." the blonde barked back yet again as she continued to feel the anger, and now sadness take control of her body. She didn't want to forgive her mother. Lord she didn't and she wished she wouldn't feel a damm thing as she tried to mask her pain with anger. How she tried to push Sharon away...how she tried to continue to push all of it away. She did..as the red head continued to hold onto her arm as she wished for her not to leave._

 _"Stefanie...please I'm am trying my hardest baby, I am trying so hard and I'm sorry I failed you as a mother, I just...I don't know what else to say...I am sorry I didn't protect you, I am sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. I am sorry for everything honey. Baby... I am so sorry...I...I know it doesn't change it. It doesn't change anything that happened to you. It doesn't change anything that happened to us. ..and it doesn't change the fact that I wasn't there...I wasn't there for you. I wasn't and as a mother failing your child is that hardest pill to swallow."_

 _Sharon's face was filled with tears as Stef's had finally trailed down her own face as she looked away. She looked anywhere but at the red head who more then anything was pouring her heart out as the blonde swallowed hard and trying harder then anything to fight back the tears that were continuing to fall. She could now think of her little girl. She could now think of Callie and Stef could only imagine how she would feel if..if she had failed her little girl. If she had hurt Callie, if she had caused her any pain, if she had ruined her life...and if she hadn't been the mother she truly needed. Would Callie forgive her? But no...she would never let anyone harm her, she would never let anyone lay a finger on her little girl for if they did she would ripe the person to shreds. She would tear them apart with no hesitation at all. Stef knew she had become the mother to Callie that Stef herself had wanted. She had become the kind that fought hard for your child, the one that fights you tooth and nail, the one that would take a bullet, the one that would be there for her no matter what the circumstances. But even as an adult in her 40's she just couldn't understand...as much as she tired and she was trying why her own mother could not be the same. But ..if she had been...maybe just maybe she wouldn't be the person she was today. Maybe Callie had not ended up with her, maybe she wouldn't have been a cop, maybe non of her life would have happened the way it had._

 _"Believe me when when I tell you...I wish more then anything I was like you...that I had your strength, and your courage and determination...you..are the mother to that little girl...the mother I always wanted to be for you...and.." Sharon trailed off yet again as it was evident to her that her daughter just couldn't process this. She just couldn't for she had remained with her eyes to the floor...and more then anything the red head wanted to hug her, wanted to hold her strong hand and tell her she loved her, that she loved her more then anything despite her poor choices. To tell her she was in no way obligated to see her ill father, that she wasn't a horrible person if she chose not too. That if she chose to ...chose to have a relationship with her that she would never pressure her to ..to make it something she didn't want, she didn't want to pressure her to be close..._

 _"Look...I'm trying here...I am but you can't just stand here and except me to what forgive you right here right now..I...I just can't do that...and...I just I just can't...I can't just let you back in my life...I certainly just cant let him back into my life either...weather he's ill or not. And that might sound horrible, that might sound terrible but Frank was a ...he was a terrible father to me and an awful husband to you...and I Just..._

 _"Stefanie...I understand I do...I understand baby very much and...I know.." Sharon began but was cut off my the incessant ringing of her daughters cell phone which after having dug in her pocket and glancing at the caller ID she saw it was Lena. This immediately made the blonde nervous and set off alarm bells for Lena said she would wait to here as she knew the talk she was having with Sharon was important._

 _"Love ..hey." the cop said as she picked up the phone with a mild tone of frustration in her voice after the long and unresolved talk with Sharon that was really going nowhere._

 _"Stef.."_

 _Upon hearing the way the brunette said her name the cop knew all to well something was wrong and her mind immediately went to her daughter who she was hoping had not taken off again._

 _"What's wrong...is Callie ok?" she asked as she could now feel that she was holding her breath and Sharon herself couldn't help but notice the panic in her daughters voice at the mere mention of Callie's name._

 _"Honey I had to take her to the ER...she..she passed out and.."_

 _"What! ..What.. where did she pass out?...what..what do you mean she passed out..is she ok..is my baby ok Lena?...Can I talk to her...where..." the cop now was holding her hand to her forehead as she immediately was feeling a headache come on and the red head now moved closer to her daughter as she too became nervous. The worry and panic Stef was feeling was far beyond anything right now._

 _"Is Callie ok Stefanie?" Sharon voiced softly._

 _But the cop couldn't respond as she looked to the red head almost ignoring the anger she had for her as right now her only concern was her little girl._

 _"Honey..listen..she is ok babe...I took her to San Diego Memorial. They have her in a room resting and they are saying the anxiety caused her to pass out but they want to run a few more tests..."_

 _"My baby...but..but anxiety from what...she seemed ok this morning...what happened?"_

 _"Stef..she...she saw Justina today at the market." Lena said as her words could only stutter for she knew her partner would be more then furious at hearing this._

 _And she was right. Stef was speechless. She was beyond speechless as she...as she...could now only see nothing but pure red. Pure red had filled her vision as she could only think of killing the woman that had ...that had destroyed and almost killed her daughter._

 _Sharon herself noticing her daughters reaction and hearing that Callie passed out continued to move closer to her daughter and gently grabbed her arm. She knew at the lack of the blonde's reaction that she was more then upset...she was livid._

 _"Lena...I will be right there and don't let her out of your site."_


	33. A Mother's Love

_**Hi all sorry for the wait! Had a mild block and had to go to work! Again I apologize for any spelling or grammar issues! If I do any edits I will let you know :)**_

 _ **By the way who is loving all the promo photos for the show? I'm dying, and Stef looks total bad ass!**_

 _ **Enjoy loves!-Stef1981**_

 _"Where is she...where is..where is my baby!" Stef shouted as her and Sharon ran through the front entrance of San Diego Memorial almost attacking the nurse behind the desk as she looked up to both women in utter confusion._

 _"Miss... I will need you to calm down..who are you looking for?" she stated calmly as she could feel the panic and anger radiate off the blonde._

 _"Callie Foster!..I mean...I mean Jacobs. Callie Jacobs...where is she?..She's my baby girl and..." Sharon squeezed her daughters hand gently as she tried to ease her frazzled nerves as best she could. From the time she had gotten the call from Lena at the hotel she had seen her daughter...her daughter almost break apart. Not to the outside world, but even though she had not seen her in well over 20 years...she still knew her. She knew Stefanie deep down and she saw her clam up like a shell. She saw her clam up and just want to battle through it all herself as she had almost knocked her down to get out of the hotel earlier. But in her older age Sharon had become persistent, she had become bullheaded, she had become aggressive herself and refused to let the blonde go alone. She refused and instead of begging she threatened that she would show up. That she knew where she lived and that she too cared about Callie and wanted to be there. With no time or energy to argue the cop had reluctantly agreed for the real issue was no longer the two of them...the real issue was her little girl._

 _"Ok...but I will need you to calm down once again. I will look her up. Now you said her name was Colleen Jacobs?"_

 _"No Callie Jacobs!" Sharon snapped at the nurse herself as she continued to hold onto Stef's hand as she could feel the rage in her daughters body and impatience._

 _"Ok..my apologies..Callie..._

 _"Can you hurry the fuck up!" Stef snapped ferociously as Sharon squeezed her hand harder. The cop was never so rude as to curse at anyone but she was on edge..she was more on edge then she had ever been before and this nurse had less then a second to tell her where her little girl was or she was going to go behind the counter and ring her neck._

 _"It's ok baby calm down..we will get to her."_

 _"Ok Callie Jacobs let's see...she..is..is that with a K or C?"_

 _"You know what... screw it and screw you I don't have time to wait around for this shit! Pick a letter!" with this blonde stormed into the ER herself along with her mother who had quickly followed next to her._

 _"Miss you cant just!...You can't just walk in there! I'm calling security!" the nurse yelled._

 _"Hush! She's a cop! She is security!" Sharon screamed back as the two woman could now see Lena walking with her head down toward them in the hallway._

 _"Lena! Lena, baby. Baby!" Stef yelled as the curly haired woman looked up to see the two woman running toward her and she quickly began walking faster as a sense of relief and worry filled her body for she knew the news she needed to tell her partner would crush her. She knew it very well for it had broken her heart but...as she looked at them both she had not expected to see Sharon much less see her holding onto Stef's hand. But it was a strong indication that they possibly had made progress even if that was not the current issue at hand for them she thought as she suddenly felt Stef engulf her in a hug. The brunette hugged her harder back as she she could see the fear written all over her face._

 _"Where is she..where's..where's..my baby Lena..is she ok? Did something else happen?" the blonde voiced now feeling her stomach tighten even more as last she had spoken to Lena just a mere 20 minutes ago Callie was just suffering from anxiety and had passed out. However, judging by her partners face it seemed to be much more then that now._

 _"Stef...she..." Lena could only look down as ...as her voice began to break..and her words began to stutter and tears continued to roll down her face._

 _"Lena what is it? What's...what's wrong...please..."_

 _"She had a seizure honey...she..she was ok and then she started to convulse and...honey I'm sorry...I..it happened shortly after I spoke to you and everything happened so fast that I didn't get to call you and..." Lena could not hold it together as Sharon gently took the woman's hand as she could feel her heart break as well. The blonde..she...she stood frozen... holding her breath just as she had done on the phone in the apartment...she had remembered the doctor warned them that a seizure was possible as a result of the young girls brain trauma but they had hoped that would never be the case for Callie seemed 100 percent. The cop...could feel the lump in her throat...she could feel her...her chest tighten and the tears swell up in her eyes as she swallowed hard...she swallowed hard the words that Lena had spoken to her as she found them hard to believe._

 _"What...how?..." she managed to stutter out as Lena placed her hand inside the blondes as her own tears continued to fall._

 _"I...I don't know baby but..but they..they have her resting...she..she seems to be ok they said but they want to monitor her overnight baby." She said gently squeezing her partners hand as the cop closed her eyes as to not allow anymore tears to fall... The red head looked up to her heartbroken daughter, she saw the pain written all over her face, all over her body as she now herself gently placed her hand in hers and squeezed it. Stef herself squeezed it back as she glanced to her mother never ever thinking that she would seek any kind of comfort in her for she thought all the trust she held for her was washed away. But Sharon proved...proved and was determined to show she could win it back. She would be here for her daughter, for Lena, and her future granddaughter not out of obligation but because she loved them. And she loved them hard._

 _"Baby..lets go see your little girl. I think she ...I think she needs her mama." the red head voiced as the blonde looked to her and nodded as Lena took her other hand leading her to Callie's room._

 _"She's only wanted you baby. Just you." the brunette said as she squeezed Stef's hand yet again._

 _As the blonde walked into her little girls hospital room she saw her baby resting by the window just as she had done just a mere few months ago. Stef could only let out a low sigh as she wiped the tears from her face as she walked slowly over to the teens side. Of course she didn't look anything like she had three months ago for Callie was fully healthy and happy..but she did appear stressed, tired and fearful as a result of the seizure which the blonde wished she had been here for her little girl during it. That had...that had caused her heart to break for sure as she now sat on the bed and gently rubbed the teen soft face. Callie herself was partly asleep, and feeling somewhat drowsy from the medicine but she knew instantly...and could feel her mother's presence just by her smell alone as she now turned her head and slowly opened her eyes to see the blonde smiling at her. Her whole face lit up and she could feel the butterflies in her heart that only her mother gave her._

 _"..Mama..." a smile gracing her face as she spoke._

 _"Hi my baby...hi my love...How you feeling sweets. You ok my love?" she voiced as she continued to rub the side of the teens face as Callie herself tried to sit up for she wanted to hug her mother more then anything._

 _"Whoa...It's ok my love just lay down...ya'll be ok. We have plenty of time to hug my love." Stef gently held the girls hand and moved in to kiss her sweet face yet again as Callie's face had lit up again._

 _"I..I don't remember anything...mama. I..I don't."_

 _"Thats ok sweetheart...you don't need to right now. I'm just glad your ok...my love."_

 _"Lena...she took me to the market and I took pictures for you. We...we had fun mama."_

 _"Yeah...well how about you show me in a little bit. Yes? I bet the're beautiful baby." she winked as Sharon and Lena soon walked in and stood on the other side of the young girls bed. Callie couldn't help but notice the red head who let out a soft smile at her as did Lena who had not left her side._

 _"Hey kid...how you doing honey?" the red head spoke softly._

 _"I'm ok. just tired...and I feel out of it...kinda weird."_

 _"The doctor said the medicine would make you feel that way honey. You should be ok though sweetheart." Lena softly spoke and she gently rubbed the teens hand again as she had done all day._

 _"Thank..thank you for staying with me Lena."_

 _"Anytime bug." the brunette leaned in and kissed Callie's soft forehead once again as the young girl looked to her mothers soft eyes and warm smile as the moment between her and Lena had warmed her heart._

 _"Mama... I broke the phone you got me. I dropped it and..."_

 _"Sweetheart...I don't care about a phone...we only care that you are ok my love. That is all we care about baby. Understand?" Callie nodded her head._

 _"Honey..you can use my flip phone..works like a charm and I've dropped it well over a 100 times. Even in water." Sharon said as the teen could only let out a small smile as she always appeared to say something funny. Just like her mother._

 _"Wow they still make those?" Stef said sarcastically as the red head took her phone out showing it off to all three ladies._

 _"My dear I will have you know flip phones are coming back. They are much more reliable then those...those...genius phones or whatever you call them."_

 _Callie could only let out yet anther laugh as did Lena who shook her head at the exchange between her partner and Sharon. They were very similar._

 _"All yours kid. Treat it like gold." she placed the phone on the girls lap."_

 _"But..it's yours..."_

 _"Just hold on to it for me. I know it's safe with you." Sharon smiled as the teen could only smile back as she once again looked to her mother who let out a wink._

 _"Thanks." she responded warmly._

 _"Anytime kid." Sharon winked at the young girl just as her daughter had done and Callie smiled yet again but turned to her mother now who's hand had remained tightly in hers._

 _"Mama.. when can I go home?"_

 _"Baby..._

 _But as soon as Stef was about to respond to her daughter the same doctor that had treated Callie three months ago walked in with a file in hand and a look of mild concern on his face as he stared at all four women. He himself had noted just how remarkable Callie had looked compared to three months ago despite her current issue. Nonetheless he could clearly see she had been in very good hands the last few months and would do whatever he needed to help and get her back on track._

 _"So Callie how you are you feeling?" he said walking closer to all four women checking the machines that monitored the teen's heart and brain._

 _"I'm ok..I. just..wanna go home." she let out in a frustrated tone._

 _"Ya'll be home soon enough baby." Stef squeezed her little girls hand and slowly got off the bed as she looked into the eyes of her tired teen daughter._

 _"Your foster mother is right Callie. We will have you home shortly. We just want to run a few more test and make sure the medicine we are treating you with is the one that is best for you."_

 _"She's my mama. Not my foster mother." Callie scolded back as all three woman looked to her surprised and Sharon couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the stern tone in the teens voice as she corrected the doctor._

 _"Well if she isn't your daughter then I don't know who." she whispered to the cop in an amused tone as the blonde could only let out a small smile as did Lena._

 _"I'm sorry. I stand corrected. I mean..you're mama is right Callie. We will have you out of here very soon... Mrs. Foster can I have a word?"_

 _"Of course.." But as Stef was about to follow behind she felt a tug at her shirt._

 _"No mama don't go..please..." Callie now had tears streaming down her face as she continued to pull on her mother's shirt for she was terrified...she was terrified of her leaving even for a second as seeing Justina had...had brought back every single fear she had felt. Stef could see the fear...she saw it so clearly written on the young girls face as it...it only broke her heart._

 _"Sweetheart...I will be right out that door...I'm not going anywhere. I promise my love."_

 _"I'm...I'm scared mama."_

 _"I know you are. I know you are baby...but no one is going to get you." the cop reassured as she continued to rub the young scared girls soft face with her hands gently as the fear Callie had remained in her eyes._

 _"No one...Especially not Justina. She would have to get through me first which I don't recommend anyone trying to do. Then she would have to get through Lena which again I don't recommend anyone ever do either...and...and she would have to get through to your...to your grandmother." with this word Stef quickly moved her eyes over to Sharon who stood...who stood speechless as she let out a soft smile at her daughter for..for she had never expected to ever hear that name. Ever...and she soon felt Lena grab her hand and squeeze it._

 _"That's right and believe me no ones getting past any of us." Sharon winked as Callie glanced to her mother yet again._

 _"You promise mama?"_

 _"My love I promise.I promise baby."_

 _Callie nodded her head as the blonde gently kissed her forehead as all three women followed behind as the teen observed all three in the hallway and she did not take her eyes off her mother for one second._

 _"Mrs. Foster...your daughter will be ok but I would keep her home for about two weeks. We will keep her overnight and monitor her and run some more tests."_

 _"What...what caused her seizure." Stef asked as Lena continued to hold her hand._

 _"Well...Callie has certain predisposition for seizures as I explained a few months ago..and anything could bring it out. I didn't want to put her on the medication originally but we might need too just in case. But stress can certainly bring it on...it's more like a physical and emotional cause that can bring out a seizure..especially since she had a bit of brain trauma...it's it's just not unheard of. Now.. did she experience any kind of event today that might have caused her to...to have such a panic attack and elevate her stress to such a high level."_

 _"Yes...she saw...she saw her old foster mother." Lena said softly as she glanced to Stef who she could see was filled with anger._

 _"Ok... well..that...that could do it. I remember what that woman did to her." he said looking saddened._

 _"Doctor...will...will my baby be ok?"_

 _"She will...I don't want you to worry. But like I said we will keep her overnight to see how she responds to the medicine. Her CT scans are fine, there's no cause for alarm. But what I would suggest is ..definitely getting her to work on her panic attacks in therapy."_

 _"Definitely. Most certainty." The blonde confirmed._

 _"Good..tonight we just want her to get rest..and like I said I would keep her home for about two weeks."_

 _"Will do." the blonde said._

 _"Alright I will be back shortly ladies. Try to get some rest yourself. You have a strong little girl there. I assume she gets it from her mother." he smiled looking directly at the cop._

 _"Oh she does." Lena confirmed as she squeezed Stef's hand._

 _"Thank you doctor." the red head expressed as Stef pulled away from both women and began to furiously pace back and forth._

 _"So..she put my baby back in the hospital again? That's what she did?...How the hell...How in god's name...Did you see her Lena!?"_

 _"Stef...no...I didn't see her...Callie only said she saw her for a second and she was smart enough not to approach her."_

 _"Well yeah cause we have the fucking restraining order out against her. But that doesnt mean it can stop me from going over to her house and litterly ripping her in half. I swear to god...I swear to god if I see her, if she goes near my baby again,..I will tear her in two. I will tear her in half because..._

 _"Babe...you have to calm down...I know your upset...I know..."_

 _"She was doing fine baby...she was...Callie was doing fine...and..and I wasn't there...and my baby must have been so scared..."_

 _"She still is doing fine honey...she.._

 _"She's not! She's freaked out and..I'm gonna go over there and kill that fucking woman! I swear to god!"_

 _"Stef going over there and killing her ...that..how can that even be an option?..What would that accomplish." the curly haired woman voiced as she tried to keep her voice down._

 _"Lena..are you kidding! How can it not be an option"! And it would accomplish more then enough believe me! Because me putting my bare hands around her neck and breaking it...that would..rid the world of one less piece of shit that put my baby back in the hospital!_

 _"Stef...that would not solved anything! Nothing! And please keep your voice down."_

 _"Keeping my voice down is beside the point Lena. Besides that...who's side are you on! Huh? I have ..."_

 _"Are you kidding me to ask me who's side I'm on! Are you kidding Stef! I have been with you from day one..before day one!..and you ask me what side I am on just because I am not supporting your crazy.. impulsive decision to go kill someone!"_

 _"Crazy! Do you see where my baby is! Where our baby is Lena!"_

 _At witnessing the two angry woman who Sharon believed were not angry at one another.. she was well aware that she needed to jump in before it got worse. Her daughter had clearly not changed very much for when she was angry...she was bullheaded, stubborn and did not listen._

 _"I hate to interrupt this screaming match or whatever you two would like to call it but would someone please tell me who in the hell Justina is, that is before you go to jail for killing her Stefanie!" the red head voiced as she looked to her angry blonde daughter and Lena let out a sigh._

 _"She's..she's Callie's ex foster mother...and..." the curly haired woman began as the cop soon cut her off._

 _"And she almost killed her! She almost killed that little girl and she is gonna pay! Oh man is he gonna pay cause I'm gonna sue the shit out of that department, and her and ...!" the cop paced back and forth and the slim woman now took her partners hands gently for it was one of the only way to calm her nerves and end the screaming match that should not have began._

 _"Who on earth would want to kill that little girl." Sharon voiced as she could only shake her head._

 _Upon hearing this Stef could feel rage toward her mother creep up as she thought of the night her father had almost killed her and Sharon had witnessed it...but she was pulled out of her thoughts by feeling Lena gently take her hands._

 _"Baby...I ..I don't want to fight with you..all I'm trying to say is...Callie needs you...when ...when it was just me and her..she was so scared honey..she was so terrified and ...all she wanted was you. That's all she wanted more then anything. She just kept saying over and over...I want mama, I want mama...that's what she was telling me with tears in her eyes... I know ..I know you want to kill Justina..believe me I want to kill her too, I want to see her rot in hell, but killing her..we won't..we won't be helping Callie. Where would she be then. Huh?"_

 _Stef glanced up to her as she felt the anger slowly fade as Lena placed her hands on both sides of her face softly._

 _"My love we need to handle this first, make sure Callie is ok and then take care of that other thing. If you want to file charges against people we do it right. Not storming in there and killing anyone. Ok babe?"_

 _"Yeah...yeah.." the blonde sighed as she knew what Lena was saying was true._

 _"She's right honey...killing her won't...it just won't help. We need to start from step one and just take it from there. And step one is your little girl." Sharon said gently as she placed her hand on her daughters back rubbing it softly as the blonde looked through the glass at her daughter who was looking right back at her. As much as she wanted to kill Justina...she knew...she knew she couldn't but she would ..oh man she would do whatever she could to put her behind bars. That went without saying._

* * *

 _"So she's with that cop?" Justina voiced bitterly as she spoke impatiently on the phone with Angela Davis, the same Angela Davis that had written up the bogus home visit report just a few months ago stating that she did not see any signs of abuse or alarm which allowed for Callie to remain in Justina's care. The tall slim woman had wiggled her way out of trouble with the law once again but she had just learned that more charges were being pressed against her, not to mention the looming restraining order the cop had taken out on her a few months ago. That alone had pissed her off, pissed her off beyond belief for it seemed that Stefanie Foster had a little too much power for Justina's liking. That alone caused her to harbor a serious vendetta against the cop._

 _"Yup. She's her foster mother. But how she got approved in under a month is beyond me. Someone seriously must have pulled some strings..or something for that to happen because it usually takes three months at the least." Angela said looking over the paperwork of Stefanie Foster._

 _"MM.." Justina growled as she took another sip of her wine while her feet remained up on her white ottoman that she had purchased with the foster care check she received for the young girl she was now allegedly caring for. The young girl was playing in the corner of her living room with a barbie._

 _"Seems Callie has been with her for a few months according to this anyway and her home visits are all spotless."_

 _"Who is her social worker?"_

 _"Someone new...Bill Jefferson."_

 _"Ughh...I know him. A real goody goody...always blabs about making a difference...well...I'm not about to go to jail because some little brat will claim I tried to kill her that's for sure...and of that fucking restraining order that bitch hit me with. Both of them will regret it. They will regret it more then anything. I worked to hard to get to where I am. Too hard."_

 _"Well ..it's not just you...that cop has pressed charge not only against you but against our agency for neglect. That doesn't look good for any of us...Justina."_

 _"Did you find anything out about her.?" the slim woman questioned ignoring the concern in Angela's voice._

 _"She's clean...I mean I checked everywhere and dug as far back as I could...nothing."_

 _"Everyone has something dammit."_

 _"Not her...she's been a police officer for well over 20 years..transferred from Sacramento about 2 years ago...Mike..." she trailed off._

 _"Mike who?" Justina's ears opened._

 _"Oh...Mike Foster is her ex husband. Well ...guess she doesn't know which way to go. I thought she was with that woman...Lena Adams." Angela couldn't help but laugh._

 _"Please..that cop she is as butch as they come...and I remember him. Mike Foster. He arrested me along with her at the house that night..stupid Mexican Italian or whatever he was." she barked as she remembered back to that night as the two cops had busted in her home accusing her of ridiculous allegation and how that blonde had threatened her._

 _"And his record?" she asked_

 _"Don't have it..since he's not listed on any of the papers...he just wrote a recommendation. Actually she has a tone of recommendations."_

 _"Maybe y'all have to dig further back in her file...something she doesn't want anyone to know...or that woman shes with..that Vice Principle. I need something that will keep her mouth shut...maybe...maybe something that will...mmmm that will take Callie from her...that could work..I just need to think of how to do it."_

 _As Justina thought quietly as she took a sip of wine from her glass she let a smirk form on her face._

 _"I'll see what I can dig that won't be easy to do. I think we should just lay low. Maybe it will blow over."_

 _"No...I've seen this woman...shes a bulldog. It won't go away unless I ...I get it to go away. Just find anything I can use...or...mmm I'll think of something."_

 _"Alright I'll see what I can find."_

 _"Good...Shes' not ruining my life...if she tries...if she even remotely tries I will...I'll burn her along with that dyke Vice Principle, and her precious Callie. I'll take every thing from her. Everything."_

* * *

 _ **NOTE: Don't worry about Justina...we all know Stef is way stronger and smarter then her. :)**_

 _ **Next chapter we will have some much needed Stef/Lena time and some Stef/Cal**_


	34. Together Forever

**We are almost back at the present. Soon enough but not just yet :)**

 **Enjoy loves!-Stef1981**

 **Thank you for many of your request as I will certainly work them in to the story!**

 _The blondes back was killing her once again as she sat up in Callie's hospital bed gently stroking the side of the young girls soft face. Part of her found it so hard to believe that they were right back were they started. That they had almost come full circle for being in the same hospital was not only heartbreaking to Stef, but defeating. She wished...she wished more then anything and more then anyone could imagine that she could take her daughters fear away, that she could rid her of her painful memories, her past, her anxiety and the burden she carried around. She had alleviated a few things during the course of the last few months but there was so much more the teen carried around that Stef wanted to take. Take so that she could continue to fly as free as a bird, fly as free as any 15 year old should be able to do, and fly into happiness. That would get stalled. That would get put on hold, at least temporally for the innocence the blonde was trying to give to the young girl was something she couldn't, she couldn't fully give her. Even if she would give her own life for her to have it. Callie's past had robbed her of so much, of so much freedom, of the ability to fully trust, of the ability to fully let go and allow someone to care for her, of so much playfulness which yes at times Stef witnessed to the full extent and it produced a smile on her face that lasted for hours, for days, for weeks. Yes Callie had learned to trust her, but even that went in and out, yes she learned to trust Lena, but Stef was fully aware that...that Callie did not trust her life. She did not trust the life she was building with both women for fear it would not last, for fear it would be taken away, for fear it wasn't hers to have. It was also for the mere fact that the blonde had not yet expressed her desire to adopt the young girl. Once she asked her, once that was taken care of she would have to convince Callie that it was her life to have, that she was loved, that she was needed, that she was admired and that the anxiety and fear were not who defined her. Stef would have to show her...show her that no human should ever be allowed to ..allowed to kill your spirit, to harm you without touching you, to harm your soul, to rid you of your passion, and your love. This she would have to show her...this she would have to tell her over and over again for she knew in order for Justina to get the punishment she deserved that her little girl would have to face her monster...or she would be running for her entire life. It wasn't just Justina, it wasn't just her...it was all her demons from the past that Callie had only vaguely hinted at. She had only vaguely hinted at all the abuse she had suffered as the blonde could only wonder just how painful it really had been at times for her. Despite this...despite all of it Callie had truly shown the love she had for her. She had shown it daily more and more and continued to touch the blonde's heart in more ways then one._

 ** _"Pass me the other dish babygirl from the table." Stef pointed to the two plates that lay on the bright yellow placements at her small kitchen table. Callie quickly picked up the remaining plates as the two happily cleaned up together after dinner which was one of the many things Callie enjoyed doing with her mother. Even if she wasn't a fan of chores and had lived in homes were she was considered to be the designated housekeeper Stef had never ever made her feel like that, not even once. Aside from the few hours they spent together at the beach laughing and talking each night this little moment the two shared each night as well the teen loved just as much. For it was these little times, these little moments that she counted on to get her through the tough days, to get her through some of her nightmares, and some of her panic and fear. These were the moments she held deep in her heart for she knew...she knew once they found her a permanent home she would always want to remember her time with Stef forever. Even if the thought of leaving the blonde was one of the most painful feelings her heart could ever muster as she tried to push that away in the back of her head._**

 ** _"Here mama." The teen handed her mother the dirty dishes as she continued to dry the Ikea glasses they had gotten a few days ago._**

 ** _"Thanks sweets. So how was school today my love?" the blonde inquired just as she had done every single night at this time._**

 ** _"Not bad." Callie shrugged._**

 ** _"Finish all your homework?"_**

 ** _"Um...just a few math problems left."_**

 ** _The blonde quickly diverted her gaze to the young teen as she was very strict on homework and school work in general. Both her and Lena were._**

 ** _"Ok...well you know the rules my love. No, TV or anything until it's all done. Yes?"_**

 ** _"Of course Mama. I just had a tough time with the last two and needed to rest my brain for a second. I'll get them done soon as we are finished."_**

 ** _"Do you need help? I'm not the greatest but I'll try or we can call Lena up if you need."_**

 ** _"I think I got it ma. I'll figure it out. If not I'll let you know." Callie dried another glass as her mother let out a soft smile at the girls sheer determination._**

 ** _"That's my girl." she gently placed another kiss on her temple._**

 ** _"Lena is really helpful mama. She's really good in math."_**

 ** _"Lena is like a math genius love..well a school genius to be exact. She's one smart cookie. That's for sure." Stef smiled remembering the first time she walked into her office and had noticed all of Lena's degrees. In the beginning she had to admit she felt incredibly intimated and inferior for she just had a GED while Lena had a Bachelor's, Masters, PHd and Doctorate Degree. So did her ex-girlfriend Monte. Nonetheless the curly haired woman reassured the blonde on multiple occasions that she didn't care about Stef's lack of degrees and that her education was not the reason she loved her. Not in the least._**

 ** _"Yeah..she's..shes a good teacher." Callie said._**

 ** _"She use to be a teacher before she was Vice Principle babe. I'm sure she told you."_**

 ** _"Yeah she did. I mean I wish I had known her then but ...she's a good Vice Principle too. Just she cares about everyone and everything. But she can be really tough too. I've seen it." the girls eyes widened._**

 ** _"Oh yeah...you gotta watch out for her. She'll take you down. She's taken me down many times." the blonde laughed as Callie let out a wide smile._**

 ** _"She's taken you down?" the teen asked surprisingly._**

 ** _"Oh yeah she has..definitely my love. I try not to piss her off. To be honest that's how I knew she was the one for me." she chuckled as she ran her fingers through Callie's soft curls and the teen let out a cheerful smile._**

 ** _"But I'm so glad she's helping you so much my love. We are both...we are both just so proud of you baby. You have come very very far in everything my love. In such a short amount of time too. I just can't even begin to tell you just how really proud I am of you my baby." the cop softly stroked the side of the girls sweet face and kissed her forehead gently as Callie looked to her with her big brown eyes that had continued to grow more confident each day with the constant encouragement from both women._**

 ** _"I feel like...I'm really trying. I don't think I've ever tried this hard in school ever." the teen admitted truthfully._**

 ** _"Sometimes we just need a little push or encouragement, or a reason to do better or try. Sometimes without that...it's just another thing we have to do that has no meaning whatsoever. That's when people really loose motivation baby."_**

 ** _"That's true. I never had ...well I never had any encouragement before you and Lena. I didn't even know it existed." Callie laughed awkwardly as the blonde felt a sense of guilt form on her saddened face._**

 ** _"Love, some people just are incapable of giving it or showing it unfortunately. There's a lot of people out there who shouldn't have children or shouldn't be foster parents. As you and I both know."_**

 ** _"If I can...I'd like to help kids one day. You know show them they have a future regardless of their past. So..that they don't feel bad about what happened to them."_**

 ** _"I think that's an amazing idea honey. It really is. And I know you would be wonderful at it because your heart is in the right place. It's always in the right place sweetheart from the time I met you my love. Do they have anything at school or a place you can volunteer at or something?"_**

 ** _"I thought about finding out. Maybe they do mama."_**

 ** _"Well you let me know or I'm sure Lena and I can help find a place you can volunteer at. That is as long as it doesn't interfere with your school work. That is still the main priority honey."_**

 ** _The teen nodded at Stef's stern voice._**

 ** _"Of course mama." Callie continued to tried a few more of the glasses as she could feel Stef wanted to say something._**

 ** _"Honey...I know we don't talk about your past often but..I mean I know you have therapy for that but if you ever want to...to talk about ..I'm here. You know that yes?"_**

 ** _"Yeah..I know." Callie diverted any eye contact for this topic of her past always made her want to run and the blonde knew that all to well._**

 ** _"I just...I just want you to know that...well I don't want you to feel ashamed of your own past my love. No matter what has happened to you..ok?"_**

 ** _Callie nodded her head as her mother gently placed her hand under the teens chin turning her face to look into hers._**

 ** _"Yes Cals?"_**

 ** _"Yes mama. I know." she smiled at her mother._**

 ** _"Good..and how's photography club? I see you've been taking tons of shots with the new camera." the blonde decided to bring up another topic to ease the tension she felt in her teens body and expression._**

 ** _"Oh its good. The new camera is just amazing. I mean it's like night and day mama."_**

 ** _"I'm so glad I could get that for you...and I'm happy you found something you enjoy sweets. That's such an important thing." the blonde said now scrubbing the last few glasses and silverware._**

 ** _"Yeah...I don't even know how to thank you for it. I could get a job at the burger hut and..._**

 ** _"Sweets...no. Just have fun." she winked as the teen let out a smile._**

 ** _"So...we have to do a photo essay of some sort actually... We have to pick something that means a lot to us...and write some sort of story about it." the teen admitted with a hint of shyness in her voice now._**

 ** _"Well that sounds fun love. Hey, you could write about the beach. That's your all time favorite. Plus I've seen many of the shots you have taken and they are truly breathtaking baby. They really are." the blonde expressed happily at her daughters talent._**

 ** _"Yeah...I thought about that but...I'm gonna write about something else."_**

 ** _"Oh yeah what?" Stef handed her the last of the silverware as the teen shyly looked down at it drying it longer then she needed._**

 ** _"You mama."_**

 ** _Stef for a minute thought her ears were playing a trick on her as..she now froze and her eyes remained on the sink and Callie's remained on the dish towel. She had gotten the assignment a few days ago and had wanted to ask Stef then but had shyed away from it. She had not however shyed away from snapping a few photos of the blonde when she had not been looking and to her they were beautiful and striking. She had also shot photos of her and Lena together laughing, holding hands and even kissing on the lips. A few were of her mother in uniform as Callie admired her most when she was in it more then anything. It was a tough and scary job to be in and that alone had always impressed the teen. She had already started to write the essay if she was very honest with herself for it wasn't hard for her to do. Not in the least as her eyes now looked to the profile of her very strong mother who now looked down to her as a smile fell across her face as she couldn't find the words that matched how she was really feeling._**

 ** _"I mean...it's just...you mean the world to me and...you took me in at a time when I had no one..and you barely knew me. I was...I was the weakest I could ever imagine being and ...I was so scared and..you took me regardless of all my baggage, regardless of all my injuries, and weird emotional issues. And your...your like the strongest person ever mama. I mean I don't care about fancy degrees, or that you burn dinner sometimes and we have to get takeout, and that your not even the most organized person ever or that you always listen to classic rock in the car. None of that matters to me ever. It's...its your strength mama and admitting you were gay after like 40 years and leaving a life you knew to a life you knew you deserved, and falling in love with a woman that you felt was out of your league. And being a cop...that's like one of the scariest jobs ever and you...you just do it. Just...you loved me when no one else ever has. No one has loved me like you and...I can't honestly think of a better person to write about or someone that is as important to me as you are ...and always will be. You're...your amazing mama. You are...and your..your the reason I have come this far. You are mama...and I just...I Love you so much." Callie said as she locked eyes with the blonde as tears began to stream down her cheeks. She had no idea she would...she would say any of the things she said. None at all and she could see the tears fall down her mothers cheeks as well for she was crying like she had never cried ever as she swallowed hard and engulfed the teen in a warm hug for ...for she had completely touched her heart more then anyone ever had._**

 ** _"My baby..that..I..." But Stef was speechless for all she could do was just hug her little girl. She couldn't do anything more but hold her...hold her tight in her arms as Callie wrapped her arms around her mother and hugged her harder then ever._**

 ** _"I love you baby...I Love...I love you like no one else. NO one else." She kissed the top of the girls head as the two remained in each others arms._**

 ** _That night Callie had shown her mother the pictures she had taken and Stef's heart had only continued to grow for she had...for her little girl had captured...she had captured her. She had captured the part of herself that...that only Lena knew. That maybe only partly Mike had known, the part she...the part she had closed off so well from the world Callie had ..Callie had gotten it. Callie had understood it as each candid photo revealed another layer of who Stef was. The cop, the girlfriend, the best friend, the daughter and ...and Callie's mother. They had shown the romantic side, they had shown the confident side, they had shown the mild insecure side, they had shown the happy side, they had shown the affectionate side. The cop herself...had never really seen..she had never really seen all of who she was like this. Yes Lena had explained it many times but to see it herself was another thing as she looked to her little girl who happily smiled at all the photos she had taken. Stef...she...she adored them. She honestly did as the young teen laid snuggled and feeling fully protected in her mothers arms on Stef's leather couch. The blonde herself felt..felt satisfied and content for she knew..she knew she had made a difference in her young daughters life._**

 _As Stef was brought back into the present by the shifting of her little girl and as she felt the grip tighten the young teen had on her the blonde continued to soothe her gently kissing the top of her head once again._

 _"I'm here my love. Mama's here." she whispered softly as the young girl remained still once again._

 _As Stef thought back to that conversion the two had in the kitchen that night it had taken place only but a week ago before the fight in the store, before Sharon had shown up and before the little girl had ended up right back in the hospital as a result of seeing Justina. Callie..even if she...even if she had been a little closed off, even if she had not wanted to extend on the abuse she experienced had grown. Had grown before the blonde's eyes. There was no more waiting...there was no more procrastinating, there was no more time for her to worry about the possibility of Callie saying no to her wanting to adopt her. There was no time for any of those thoughts for...for Stef knew ..she knew she had to...had to say something. She knew it was time and she knew the time was now for Lena had continued to remind her._

 ** _"So honey when...when are you going to ask her love." Lena said as she took a seat next to the blonde who had been completely worn out from the days events as she sat outside Callie's room._**

 ** _"After we get out of here...I know..I know it's time to ask her. I know it." she said looking through the glass of her daughters room as her and Sharon were immersed in a game of Go Fish._**

 ** _"She certainly loves your mom." Lena smiled grabbing the blondes hand and rubbing it._**

 ** _"Yeah..I mean...I mean I'm glad they get along."_**

 ** _"How are you feeling about it honey. I mean...I know we haven't had even a minute to talk...it's just been so crazy."_**

 ** _"Yeah and when we do talk I'm screaming at you." the blonde admitted feeling embarrassed for her behavior as she looked into the eyes of the woman she loved more then anyone._**

 ** _"Baby...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for screaming at you earlier...I'm sorry I've been so..difficult...I miss our time baby. I do." The blonde expressed painfully._**

 ** _"I know honey. I miss our time too...I miss use being..you know..intimate as well."_**

 ** _"OH man do I miss that. That's for sure." the blonde laughed as she slowly leaned in to kiss the brunette passionately._**

 ** _"MM that was nice. I miss your lips." Lena said smiling._**

 ** _"I miss yours too. I do..I miss...I miss holding you at night, I miss laying naked together, I miss...I miss making you cum." she winked._**

 ** _"Stefanie Marie." Lena spoke shyly as the two continued to hold hands locking them into one another as the curly haired woman now gently stroked the side of the blondes face._**

 ** _"Babe...it's ok... I know...I know motherhood has been challenging..and I know your trying to do all you can for her. I know the balance is not easy. I understand that. I do."_**

 ** _"I just...I just don't want you to feel like I'm neglecting you baby." the blonde admitted as tears begin to fill her eyes._**

 ** _"NO...love...I don't feel that way. I don't. You include me in everything you do with Callie. We knew we didn't sign up for something easy. We knew that. We just might need to find more time for us...even if its just an hour when she's in school, or during lunch time or I have been known to make you cum in under two minutes. If you remember." she said whispering in the blondes ears as Stef's face blushed._**

 ** _"Oh I remember believe me. I remember clear enough." Stef gently placed her hand on Lena's thigh rubbing it a tiny bit._**

 ** _"But I do think you should..you should talk to her honey. Take her to the beach and ask her. I mean what better place...and I'll be right there. I'll be right there to support you, to support you and her."_**

 ** _"Lena...have I told you how much I love you. I just love you so much baby..thank you for...for putting up with me and loving me and ...just just always being there. I don't know what I would do with you honey. I don't." tears now streaming down her face as it was Lena who had always seen deep into the blonde's heart. Always._**

 ** _"You always have me baby. Always. From now until eternity." Gently the curly haired woman leaned her face against the blondes as they felt there faces..there faces melt into each others as they had always done. Two souls..two souls one body. Together Forever._**

 _Stef would...she would plan to take the young girl to the beach...and she would ask her. She would ask her if she could adopt her, if she could legally be her mother for the time was important..for Callie would need...she would need her more then ever, more then she needed her these past few months. They needed each other and they would...the three would be a family. Forever._


	35. Growing

**As we can see Callie has so many issues and baggage. But just like in the show Stef and Lena refuse to give up on her.**

 **-Stef1981**

 **6 more days till Season 4!**

 _It had been a few days since Callie's second release from San Diego Memorial Hospital and all four women were completely and utterly spent. Fortunately, the teen was responding well to her anti-seizure medications with little to no side-effects whatsoever which was a relief to everyone for she exhibited no signs of permanent damage as all her tests and scans had come back clear._

 _However, despite this progress the teen was still ordered to stay home for two weeks and much to everyone's surprise Callie was pleading with Stef everyday to go to school for more then one reason which she failed to express. It wasn't that she wanted to be away from home, it wasn't that in the least for she never wanted to leave her mother's side ever especially after seeing Justina, but she was trying, she was trying so hard not to let the fear take over her. Not to let the fear take over her mind, her body and all the progress she had made at Anchor Beach and as a person. Despite the horrific nightmares which caused her to cling to Stef each and every night, Callie wanted to continue to grow stronger, she wanted to continue to grow even more confident and she was trying. She was trying so hard even with the constant let downs and curve balls life was continuing to throw at her. She was...she was partly angry at herself for..for passing out and for letting her ex foster mother have that kind of control over her. She really was and Stef had explained to her and told her...she had the power, she had the strength to overcome the fear she had. That she could overcome anything especially with the support system she now had beside her. Callie understood that, she did understand it, but it didn't always help her constant need to do things on her own, her constant need to figure it out on her own as she struggled with...as she struggled with a string of mixed and perplexing emotions that continued to overwhelm her. The teen antagonized over clinging to her mother and trying to not rely on her as much as she had. But she was finding that extremely difficult and much...harder then she thought..for once...once she left Stef's home she would be back to dealing with it herself. That's the part she felt no one understood as she was conflicted with the thought of asking her to be her mother or not saying anything._

 _"Mama..please..can I go to school today." Callie begged as she followed Stef, who was fully dressed for work, into the sunlight kitchen. The blonde herself could only let out a soft sigh for this would be the third day in a row that her daughter would beg her to go to school. To the cop it didn't seem right and her suspicions would only grow...for just a few days ago Callie had stuck to her like a magnet begging her not to go to work. The blonde could only assume or think that there was something deeper going on which she would have to somehow pry out of her daughter. Nonetheless she was hoping the beach date she had planned for them later on would help for today was the day Stef would ask the little girl if she could adopt her._

 _"Love...we talked about this honey. We talked about this yesterday, the day before that and the day before that. The doctor wants you to rest for two weeks. Not 3 days, not 4 days but two weeks honey." she said pouring coffee into her blue mug as Lena sat at the table drinking tea with Sharon. Much to the resistance of her daughter, the red head had insisted on staying around for a few more days to assist with Callie while the cop and Vice Principle headed to work. Stef of course wasn't 100 percent thrilled by her mothers presence in the beginning to say the least, but she couldn't put aside what she had witnessed. She had seen the change in Sharon, she had seen her stand up for Callie, she had seen her stand up for Lena and she had...she had seen her stand up for her. She had stood up for her the first time ever, and to the blonde...she, almost didn't know how to process it. She almost didn't understand it...for it was..it was foreign to her...and she never in a million years ever thought...ever though she would observe it with her own two eyes._

 _ **"Listen my suggestion would be just to file an order of protection if you worried about her coming after your daughter. Suing...suing is a lenthly and difficult process..not to mention expensive." said Callie's new appointed case worker that was proving to be useless.**_

 _ **"We understand that. But this woman she..we strongly believe.. she's done it before and probably gotten away with it. How many more children does she have to hurt or kill? I mean she's got another kid for Christ sake. How is that even possible." Stef barked as her,Lena and Sharon sat in the cafe of San Diego Memorial.**_

 _ **"Listen I am just trying to save you the headache..I just have my doubts you're going to win...suing CPS..and what this Justina Marks woman for attempted murder?.."**_

 _ **"She tried to kill her. Doesn't that count for something we can't just ignore that." Lena chimed in as Sharon could be seen shaking her head at what she was hearing.**_

 _ **"How do you know she tired to kill her maybe it was just an accident."**_

 _ **"An accident?" the red head voiced just as shocked as her daughter and Lena as the blonde was now consumed with more rage then ever.**_

 _ **"You can't be serious with that statement. You just can't!...**_

 _ **"Mrs. Foster...listen..**_

 _ **"No you listen! You listen to me good! I saw what she did to her! We saw what she did to her! All of us..and and that woman!...that woman almost killed my baby!You understand! She almost killed her with just her bare hands. We saw the bruises that covered her body..and the scares the burns! You didn't see it! You didn't..and that night...I saw her laying completely unconscious in the bathroom of that woman's house..and had my baby not called me, had she not... she would be dead! She would not have made it! and...Six weeks she was in here in pain, in shock, and completely terrified! You know she had brain hemorrhaging! Do you know that? No how would you know because while we sat in here trying to take care of her the best we could, your department did nothing! We had contacted CPS well before that happened...and what...a false report was filed to keep Callie in that woman's home while she continued to beat the shit out of her for months! So don't you dare...don't you dare sit here and suggest that she didn't try to kill her! Don't you dare." the blonde furiously got up from her seat as she angrily began to pace back and forth and the incompetence she was dealing with and Sharon herself could feel the anger boiling in her her own body. The case worker could only stare as he was unsure of what to really say at that outburst as Lena herself was completely frustrated herself.**_

 _ **"Sir...my partner is right. CPS did nothing...and...**_

 _ **"And...I can tell you...I get it...but we would need more then Callie's statement about the abuse she suffered under this woman in order to win...and I see it as waste of time. Kids get abused in the foster care system everyday and if we charged every parent..."**_

 _ **"This is a load of shit! This is just utter complete shit in my eyes!" Sharon soon enforced as she could no longer remain silent at the crap she was hearing as both Stef and Lena looked to her shocked at her sudden outburst.**_

 _ **"Young man...I may be old and not privy to this justice system but that sounds like a load of horse crap to me! You can most certainly do something if you want...and you should have to begin with! Because if you go in there! If you go in that room and look at the fear in that child's yes, look at the pain and the hurt she is feeling you would know what kind of effect this Justina woman has on her and kids. You would know! What if it was your kid huh? Tell us then! Bet you would be the first one to lock the doors and throw away the key! I bet your sweet ass that's what you would do! What do we need to do to prove to you that...that that awful woman tired to kill my...my granddaughter! Do we need to send you back in a damm time machine huh for Callie certainly didn't do this to herself? ANd to still feel the effects? TO have a seizure just because she saw her? Do you know how scared you have to be? DO you?**_

 _ **"Ma'am..**_

 _ **"Don't ma'am me for Christ sake. I'm not that damm old. Now...what you may not know since you don't seen to care much..my daughter and her partner have done more then anyone ever has for this little girl. Anyone! And they love her to death and she loves them! So if Stefanie says she wants to sue she will sue! And she can sue whoever she dam well please for I will be right behind her, and I will be right behind her partner, and I will be right behind my granddaughter every god damm step. No matter what. I may have...I may have failed her in the past...I may have failed Stefanie very much in the past but...but that was long ago and I'm not making that mistake ever again. So young man you better get justice for my granddaughter or you will have me to answer to! And you don't want that!" the red head yelled as she locked eyes with the now apprehensive case worker who all he could do was nodd his head.**_

 _ **The blonde herself could only stare at her mother...as Lena looked to her partner and let out a small smile for it was evident that she very much was sincere..that she was trying hard to be the person she had wanted to back when the blonde was younger when she neglected to help her daughter. It took decades..it took years of pain, of lost trust and broken hearts for Sharon to get this far. But she had and she would never let her little girl down again as the blonde would soon realize very shortly.**_

 _"Honey, we know you would like to go but it's important you get adequate rest." Lena expressed as she took a sip of tea while noticing the teens aggravation that was brewing toward her mother._

 _"But I'm fine. I feel totally fine...I mean...what's the difference between three days and fourteen... I mean I could easily have a seizure in two weeks or a month from now." Callie expressed as yes the thought worried her to death as it did Stef. The blonde turned around to look into her pleading eyes, but unfortunately for Callie's sake she was not budging. Neither her or Lena._

 _"Cals..you are absolutely right my love...yes you could have a seizure two weeks from now...two months from now or two years. That is not out of question. Not at all...and believe me I'm glad you feel good, I'm glad you feel better we all are love, but you need to stay home and rest your brain and body. End of discussion sweets."_

 _"But Mama.." Callie began once again._

 _"Enjoy the vacation kid. Most kids would be dying to stay home. We can put our feet up and eat some chocolate. Or paint our toes. I've been dying to change my polish to a blue. Seems like it's the in color nowadays." Sharon said amused but the teen only let out a loud sigh of frustration for the red head was not helping her case at all, neither was Lena._

 _"Baby..the last few days were very very taxing on you my love and I'm not doing this to punish you or to make your life miserable but as your mama I am doing what I feel is best. And following your doctors order honey. Please try to understand that." Of course Stef felt bad...of course she did but Callie's health was her number one priority, always even if the teen didn't see it that way._

 _"But ...you don't understand ..I'm missing everything. I'm...I'm always missing everything...and it's not fair." Callie's face had turned a deep red for she was so utterly and completely frustrated that she could scream. She could scream loud enough for the entire block to hear and her mother was not making her feel any less irritated as Lena continued to look between the two witnessing Callie's growing frustration._

 _"Sweetheart I do understand...I understand more then you know love..." Stef gently placed her hand on the girls shoulder._

 _"No you don't! You don't get it at all!" the teen snapped back freshly as Stef was somewhat taken aback by her outburst as was Lena who knew she would need to chime in very shortly._

 _"Callie ..I think you better lower your voice and watch your tone with me young lady."_

 _"I'm not a baby Stef! I'm 15 and I'm sick of you treating me like I'm a kid!" she yelled yet again._

 _"Ok Callie...your way out of line. Completely and that is not how we handle this and it's certainly not how you speak to your mother. Not at all." the curly haired woman now got up and stood next to her partner for she could see she was ready to boil over. Of course Lena didn't want Callie to feel as if they were ganging up on her..but she knew the girl needed to understand and continue to understand that talking back just wasn't an option._

 _Callie herself let out a loud sigh once again as she looked between both woman. for she was not use to Lena reprimanding her at all. She had seen it with kids in school but she had never been on the receiving end. She had to admit the curly haired woman could be forceful and stern in her own way but was not as intimidating, and stubborn as her mother who was driving her insane at this moment._

 _"Callie you need to understand something. Your mother and I..we understand...ok.? We get it. Believe it or not, and we know you aren't a baby, and we know you're frustrated, we know you're annoyed, we know you feel like your progress keeps getting knocked down. But...regardless of your level of frustration shouting at your mother is not an acceptable way to express yourself. It just isn't bug."_

 _"But.."_

 _"Callie..." Lena gently placed her hands on the teens soft shoulders as Stef continued to observe the two trying to calm the anger that had taken over at her daughters rude behavior._

 _"You also need to build up your strength and let your body heal. That's very important. Very because if you want to, if you want to keep building up your strength, becoming the person you are becoming then you need to listen to us, and listen to your body. You can't do that if you're not well. All of us only want what is best for you."_

 _Callie shook her head as she refused to listen to what the three woman were telling her._

 _"Honey come on...don't be too upset and stubborn...once the 10 days is over you can go back to your school, your friends and your clubs. They will all be there waiting for you. Nothing is going away." the red head encouraged._

 _"Can't I just go to photography club? Can't I even do that mama?" she continued to plead to her mother yet again as her voice still held a hint of rudeness which Stef clearly picked up on._

 _"No Callie. No school, no clubs. Nothing...especially not with the way your acting young lady. Your only extending the punishment your already on from the last time."_

 _With this Lena shook her head as she realized Stef's choice of words may not have been the best for she knew Callie felt bad enough for what she had done just a few days ago and it was only adding gas to the fire. These two were certainly twins as neither would back down and neither could see past there own stubbornness to just simply listen._

 _"Stef.." she said gently touching her partners arm but the damage had been done for Callie was furious._

 _"Great.. just push it in my face! Push my mistakes in my face!" she snapped back._

 _"Ok you just tacted on another month young lady! I told you to watch your tone of voice with me!" the cop yelled back leaning in closer to her daughter who continued to stand her ground._

 _"What?" That is so unfair! You can't do that!"_

 _"No? Watch me! Three months!"_

 _"What!" Callie exploded once again._

 _"Stef..." Lena tried again to diffuse but with these two she was finding it difficult and looked to Sharon who watched without a hint of shock on her face. She knew it very well..she knew herself they were twins and would most certainly bump heads from time to time._

 _"Four! Keep it up! Just keep it up!"_

 _"Your treating me like one of your...like one of your criminals! Why don't you just lock me up?"_

 _"Five! Five months Callie! You want to make it six then keep mouthing off at me!"_

 _"Oh my god...you.. you are like...the most frustrating person ever!" Callie screamed as she stormed out of the room slamming her bedroom door harder then ever._

 _"Six mouths now! You just bought yourself six months for slamming that door Callie! And if you want to call someone frustrating ...look in the mirror!" Stef screamed as she began to follow behind her daughter but Lena quickly stopped her._

 _"Stef no! Leave her be. You both need to cool off...and by screaming punishment sentences at her will not help."_

 _"Lena she was completely out of line! Completely!"_

 _"I know...and I don't condone her tone of voice with you but you are adding fire to the flame."_

 _"What?...How am I..."_

 _"Babe..we both know she's having a hard time...you and I both know that, and its not hard to see that you are as well. You are both stressed out especially with us pressing charges against Justina and Callie having to testify to it. But.. you aren't listening to her. You were...you were barking out orders...you..you were policing her."_

 _"I did no such thing Lena! I am not policing her..." she said soon trying to walk past her once again but Lena grabbed her hand as the blonde turned to face her once again._

 _"Stef...I'm not criticizing you. I'm not. Just...listen...we know how she feels about you. We know it and we know how you feel about her...but...sometimes you forget to turn off cop mode._

 _"Lena..I am always her mother first...first and foremost then I am a cop._

 _"I know honey..but when you get angry...just.. just think harder about how you may come across to her. That's all love."_

 _Stef swallowed hard as she realized that she might have come across harsher then she wanted as she let out a loud sigh._

 _"Sweetheart...just take a few minutes to calm down. OK? I'll go talk to her." Lena said placing her hands inside the blondes as Stef looked to the floor feeling defeated._

 _"Remember I told you this..this is all part of being a parent and sometimes the choices we make for our kids they aren't always happy with babe. Doesn't mean they automatically hate us. Just...its just part of being a parent."_

 _"You sure you wouldn't make a better parent then me." the blonde questioned as she once again felt she was failing her little girl as she looked to the side and letting out an awkward laugh._

 _"Oh Stefanie don't be ridiculous and stop talking mumbo jumbo." Sharon soon interrupted._

 _"Mother how can you even hear us...I mean...is there anything you don't hear?" she said turning around as Lena herself couldn't help but laugh at the red head._

 _"Nope." she smiled._

 _"She is right honey...that's ridiculous...just because you two had another little fight doesn't mean you're not a good parent. It just means...well you're not only very much alike but you really are mother and daughter." she smiled as the blonde let out a look of acceptance._

 _"Ill go talk to her, ok?"_

 _"Yeah." the blonde agreed as she watched the curly haired woman head into her daughters room._

 _"Aren't teenagers fun?" Sharon said sarcastically smiling as Stef took a seat across from her feeling a tremendous headache coming on. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind that she just couldn't keep up with and today was proving to be no different. Callie certainly was testing her patience more then any criminal ever had._

 _"Loads. Just loads."_

 _"Gets better too honey. Gets even better. She hasn't even started to date yet. That's when the fun really begins baby." she chuckled as the cop glared at her clearly annoyed._

 _"You aren't helping mother. You just aren't at all."_

 _"Look on the bright side. She's a good kid Stefanie. She just got handed a handful of crap cards. I mean I get it, she just wants to be normal."_

 _"I know. I know she has and she is normal...and I know it's difficult for her. I do. But I can't let her go to school like this. Two weeks is two weeks and she's going to have to accept it whether her stubborn butt likes it or not." she sipped on her now cold coffee displaying an unpleasant look as she spit it out into the cup._

 _"Did you make this?" she looked horrified into the cup._

 _"I did...and?"_

 _"Tastes like shit. Ughh." Getting up the cop poured it down the sink._

 _"Oh Stefanie don't be so picky...It's a brand new kind I picked up... And by the way you have no right to call anyone stubborn. Have you looked in the mirror yourself which I recall you suggesting your daughter to do.._

 _"Mom.._

 _" I mean I know that little girl didn't come from you but she surely acts like it. Maybe learned behavior." she said laughing._

 _Stef rolled her eyes once again._

 _"I don't remember asking you Mother."_

 _"Well that's unfortunate because I don't need to be asked to share my opinions. I mean you have to admit..that little girl doesn't want to give up and she doesn't want to let her past destroy her future. That's commendable at such a young age."_

 _"I know she doesn't..and as her mother I am proud of her. I am.." she said now sitting at the table once again._

 _"I'm sure...but speaking of mother..I mean time is ticking Stefanie..are you going to ask her this century or what?"_

 _"Excuse me?"_

 _"You heard me. What's taking you so damm long to ask that little girl if you can be her mother. Legally be her mother..and don't tell me it's because of the crap I heard you say a few minutes ago. You need to ask her before she runs around here thinking you don't want her."_

 _"Mother..."_

 _"Stefanie look...I'm not trying to pry...or be in your business since we haven't fully solved our own issues and we have a lot of work to do ourselves but.."_

 _"I planned on taking her to the beach tonight to ask her. OK? I mean if that's alright with you and everything?"_

 _Sharon let out a small grin as she bit into her toast._

 _"And you wonder why she's so fresh."_

 _Stef rolled her eyes once again as she stood up._

 _"As much as I would love to continue this useless conversation I need to head to work."_

 _"Of course, of course. I know as always you have it all under control." she said waving her strong headed daughter away continuing to enjoy her breakfast._

 _"And don't worry about Callie I've got it under control my dear."_

 _The cop shook her head at her outspoken mother's comments as she made her way to her daughters room. Stef didn't and couldn't really go to work without making up with Callie. She knew the teen was irritated at her even if this would not be be the last time they would fight. But she also knew..that they were both stressed as Lena suggested and that...that she needed to listen to her daughter even more then before and have even more patience. The cop just...she just wanted Callie to be ok more then anything and realized she herself had not expressed her concerns in the best way. This was something she would need to work on for sure and she would. Standing now in the doorway she saw Lena hugging the young girl as the teens face was filled with tears as Stef knew..there was way more going on then..just wanting to go to school. She knew it was and Callie soon sensing her mother's presence looked into the blondes eyes as tears continued to stream down her face. Once again Callie was keeping secrets and her mother knew it very well._

* * *

 _LENA POV_

 _"Bug..didn't we talk about this?" I said as I sat with Callie on the bed holding her hand as she continued to boil over. Man if she wasn't like her mother then I didn't know who was._

 _"But she was yelling too..she always yells...just never listens." she said looking frustrated at me._

 _"Well...honey..yes your mama was yelling but it still doesn't excuse the way you spoke to her."_

 _"She's..shes just so frustrating sometimes."_

 _"Ok..you are entitled to your feelings. You are..but you need to express them better. Shouting, yelling that won't get you very far. It's disrespectful honey and there's other ways honey." I said as her face looked once again into mine._

 _"Understand?"_

 _"Yes." I heard her sigh and I could only shake my head and let out a soft smile while gently rubbing her back._

 _"Lena...I just...I just can't help but feel like such a freak. I mean..I'm trying to be normal..and do stuff that every kid my age is doing and I have all these stupid issues and they are so...annoying...and.."_

 _"Whoa...hold on honey...Just one second. First off you are not a freak. Not in the least. And things happen in life Callie. They do...and like I told you before people get sick and it's ok..."_

 _"No..it's not..just I'm so angry at myself for passing out because I saw..I saw her. And then having a seizure and now being out of school for two weeks. It's...it's not fair and... I'm trying...I've never tried so hard in my life. But no matter how hard I try...no matter how hard..I'm still ...I'm still such a freak." My heart could only break for what Callie had shared with me. I could only imagine what she was feeling, what he was really going through and just how aggravating this truly was for her. Yes she had made tremendous progress, tremendous but she was still plagued by her past. That alone I knew was discouraging to her as I pulled her in for a hug and hearing her cry in my arms. But glancing over I noticed Stef standing in the doorway as Callie herself pulled away sensing her mother's presence._

 _"Callie Stefanie Marie you are not a freak...and I never want to hear you say that about yourself again." I heard my girlfriend say adamantly as she walked into the bedroom now sitting on the opposite side of Callie. Gently and affectionately she placed her hand inside the teens._

 _"I can't help but feel that way mama."_

 _"I know you can't my love and I know it's hard for you not not to feel that way.I know it is my love but I am here to tell you, and Lena is here to tell you that it's not true. It's so far from the truth I can't even begin to explain to you. But the one thing you need to remember honey is just how far you have come. Even if it feels like you keep getting pushed back down, I have watched you get right back up each and every time you have been hit with one of these curve balls. I have my love, both Lena and I and that alone makes us so proud of you sweetheart. So very proud."_

 _"She's right honey. You really are a trooper. And we have watching you continue to strive one because you are very persistent and determined. Very and that's a quality no one can steal from you." I encouraged as I could still see the cloud of doubt loom over her face fully aware that she was also consumed with fear as well that she did not want to admit._

 _"Sweets...what else is it my love?" Stef questioned as she gently stroked the side of Callie's innocent face as the young girl remained silent. However, both Stef and I knew there was more brewing in the young girls brain._

 _"Cals come on love talk to mama."_

 _Upon hearing this we could both see Callie was trying to let more of her feelings out as I gently rubbed her back even more._

 _"Just...just..I've been trying so hard mama. I ..don't want to let you down."_

 _What I witnessed was heartbreaking as the young girl put her head down unable to make eye contact with either of us. She was not only frustrated, angry and upset but she was so worried about...about not letting her mother down by trying to be perfect. Stef and I had..had no idea she had been feeling this way as I looked to my girlfriend whoes face was equally as heartbroken as mine upon hearing what Callie had confessed._

 _"Callie...look at me. Look at me now my love." She turned her body to face her mother who's voice was stern and direct._

 _"You could never let me down. You have not let me down ever. Ever..and I will tell you and continue to tell you each and every single day of your life how proud I am of you. I am my love...words can not express. Please believe me when I tell you that my love for it is more true then anything." Stef I could see had tears in her eyes as did I for Callie she carried so much weight on her shoulders. More weigh then most adults put together._

 _"Really mama?"_

 _"Callie...yes...I know how hard you are trying. I know my love. And you have no let me down. You have not let Lena down. And the one thing you need to do is stop being so hard on yourself. No one is perfect, no one."_

 _"That's right bug. No one is and we don't expect you to be ever. You just keep on pushing like you have been and me and your mama will always be in your corner watching you grow. Just as hard as it is to swallow you just might have to have a little more patience with life at times and I know that's not a hard pill to swallow. But how about we focus on all that you have done. All the progress you have made. Ok?" I encouraged as she looked into my eyes accepting my words._

 _"Good sweetheart." Gently I placed a kiss on her temple and gave her a gentle squeeze._

 _"Mama?" she soon whispered._

 _"Yeah babe?"_

 _"I'm.. I'm ..sorry I yelled at you...I..didn't mean to be disrespectful."_

 _"Forgiven. And I'm sorry I wasn't listening as well as I should have. I will work on that baby.I promise sweets."_

 _"Me too." Callie said as I continued to witness the two express there sincere apologies to one another as there sweet exchanged warmed my heart as Stef glanced to me and let out a small smile._

 _"Come give mama a hug baby." Callie wasted no time in wrapping her arms around my partner as I could see her face light up._

 _"So six months mama?"_

 _"Yeah..I think that's a little long Stef." I said smiling as Stef looked to me and winked._

 _"Two months. Ok?"_

 _"Two?" Callie questioned with surprisingly. But I knew she better not press her luck._

 _"I can make it three love."_

 _"Two..two works." she smiled once again._

 _"Thought so...listen I'll be home a little early tonight. How about we go to the beach?" Stef asked as I was happy to see she still planned on asking Callie despite her fears earlier._

 _"Really? Even though I'm grounded for a million years?"_

 _I shook my head at her comment as did my partner._

 _"Yes. Even though you grounded for a million years. Now go in the kitchen and get some breakfast love before I change my mind." she joked._

 _"Ok!" Callie once again wrapped her arms around Stef once again._

 _"I love you mama."_

 _"I love you too my girl. I love you too."_

 _Even if these two drove me insane...I knew they were made for one another and I was sure there were many more disputes in the future that I would have to mediate._


	36. You Were Always My Mama

**Loves we made it back to the present. ENJOY! And If I do any edits I will be sure to let you know!**

CALLIE POV

"So we expelled him. Of course." I heard Lena say as I sat between Stef's legs sharing the blue Slurpee she got as we enjoyed the warm evening sun at the beach. I continued to draw hearts over her uniform pants as she kissed the back of my head softly stroking my curls. We had since made up from our fight this morning...which I knew was from us both being stubborn...and to be honest...I knew I was upset about...just about so many things...that eventually mama and Lena had gotten out of me, but regardless of how angry I had been at mama this morning that didn't change anything. It didn't change my decision and in my minds eye...tonight was..tonight was the night I was going to ask her...for after talking to Sharon this morning after Mama and Lena had left for work...something...something had clicked in my head. She had...she had given me the confidence to really to really think about, and not feel like my feelings of wanting to become Callie Foster were ridiculous. Prior to that I had gone in and out of wondering if...if it was something that I even deserved but...I realized it ...it was something I really wanted even if I was consumed with the overwhelming feeling of being scared..and afraid...for I was more afraid then anything...more then..more then I ever have been for if she said no...I didn't know what..what I would feel. I didn't know at all...and I tried not to think about it. I tried hard...but..I would do it..I would fight my fear I thought as I had never wanted something more in life then I wanted this as I leaned my body back into mama's.

 _FLASHBACK_

 _"Go fish! I said happily slamming my cards down as it was evident that I was winning the game against Sharon for the third time today._

 _"Shucks. I have to say go fish is not my strong point. Poker...try me at poker honey and I'll beat ya every time kid." she winked as I could only let out a wide smile at my victory._

 _"Like mama says put ya money were ya mouth is." I sassed stealing a handful of M &Ms from the coffee table dish._

 _"Yeah..yeah...How about we just watch some TV so I can recover from my losing streak."_

 _"Can't I'm grounded."_

 _"Oh right. Six months huh?"_

 _I glanced my eyes up to her as I shuffled the cards once again in my hands._

 _"Poor taste joke honey. Forgive me."_

 _"It's ok...it's two months now. I got it down from six." I said relieved._

 _"Well least something."_

 _"Yeah..with Moms help..I mean Lena's." My eyes soon bugged out as I couldn't believe I let that slip out as I hoping she didn't notice._

 _"Must be nice having two moms."_

 _"Yeah...but it won't last." I sadly admitted as I passed the cards out between us once again._

 _"Why do you say that sweetheart?"_

 _"Well... because this is only temporary till...till Stef and Lena find me a permanent home." I shrugged._

 _"Stef and Lena huh? Well..this is news to me Callie..and from what I remember Stefanie is your mama. I mean that is what you told the doctor. Wasn't it?" she pointed out as I swallowed hard._

 _"Well yeah...but...this wasn't suppose to happen...I wasn't suppose to feel this way._

 _"Feel what way?" She inquired as just like mama she was able to get things out of me that I never really wanted to share._

 _"I...I..wasn't..I wasn't so suppose to love them...I just wasn't and.._ _I'm just still waiting for Mam..Stef to get sick of me. To get tired of me. Even if she says..she won't it's I don't know I thought about..I don't know..."_

 _"_ _Well.. here's a question I will propose to you...Do you want to live with .."Stef" forever? Or do you just want to be her foster kid and not get adopted. Or do you want to get adopted? What do you want babygirl?" her eyes now looking concerned but thoughtful._

 _I didn't know how to answer that. I really didn't... I mean I knew the answer to be honest...I knew it but I was so afraid to say it out loud. I really was as Sharon continued to look into my eyes that I felt were beginning to tear up for she was another person that I had began to love._

 _"Baby...it's just you and me here kid. No one else. I won't judge you for your choice even if you don't know what it is." she gently placed her hand inside mine as I now looked into her eyes once again...but I couldn't get words to come out of my mouth for anything. My lips felt frozen for if...if I said what I really wanted that might be even scarier._

 _"You know Callie...even adults don't always know what they want. Can take years sometimes. It's just not always as clear as day. Or...or a lot of the time it's fear that takes over us and then we are afraid to say what we really want. But...truth is the heart knows. That always knows what it wants no matter how scary it may be honey. Takes time to trust it and to accept it. Really does." I felt her squeeze my hand as the tears I was holding back were beginning to fall._

 _"I...I wanted to be Callie Foster."_

 _"Wanted? Or want to?" she gently wiped my tears as our eyes now met._

 _"MM both I guess.I..I thought about it for a long time...and...and I thought about asking Stef...but...I can't...just what if she says no?"_

 _"What if she didn't say no?" she proposed as I looked to her surprised._

 _"Or what if she asked you?"_

 _Upon hearing this my eyes widened for that thought had never crossed my mind._

 _"Why...why would she?"_

 _"Why wouldn't she? I mean it's obvious to me she loves you. Loves you like you love her..and as I keep telling you..she's not going to get sick of you. I can't imagine that. Ever. But that's just my observation sweetheart."_

 _As Sharon spoke the doubts only continued to take over my body. As my mind went back to the family that had wanted to adopt me almost a year ago but decided against it. That had also been weighing on my shoulders...as I tired to push it to the back of my brain. Stef truly had given me not reason not to trust her. She really had not, and she wasn't like any other family I had ever been with. She was honest, she was truthful, she kept her promises, and even she annoyed me at times and I was always grounded...she...she was the only mother I had ever ever known. She had proved countless times...the love she had for me...and that was hard to ignore even if it scared me..even if...I couldn't 100 percent get rid of the doubts._

 _"Callie love...you and my daughter from what I have seen have built something real special in such a short amount of time...and that's not something people throw away. It just isn't. Stefanie is not an easy person to get to know, her heart has been broken many times in life and regardless of how she may come off she's extremely sensitive...as you are. But ...I think one of her greatest accomplishments so far was...was becoming your mother whether she is legally or not...and I think you...I think you need to have a little more faith in your mama Callie. That's right your mama, not Stef." she winked as she squeezed my hand and I continued to stare into her eyes._

 _"Baby I know life has been rough for you, and I wish It had not been. Believe me none of us do. But like I told you the first night I met you...trust...give your mama some credit...and give your mom credit too. You never know whats around the corner kid. Never. Now... give me a hug." she said smiling as I leaned in to give her a hug as she hugged her back warmly and feeling her plant a kiss on my temple. But then I said...I said something I never thought I would...and it slipped out. But I didn't care._

 _"I love you grandma. I love you so much." I said continuing to hug her even harder as I felt her grip tighten._

 _"Grandma loves you too honey. She loves you so very much and don't you ever ever forget that Callie Stefanie Marie Foster. You hear me. You should not have one doubt, not one single doubt about the love your mama feels for you, about the love Lena feels for you and the love I feel for you. Not one."_

 _She soon pulled away planting another kiss on my forehead._

 _"You have a beach date tonight right?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Perfect time...don't you think?"_

 _I nodded my head letting out a smile._

 _"Kid..you go out there and get what's yours. You have me by your side. Always. Remember that always."_

 _"I will."_

 _"Good..now...back to business. Poker?"_

 _I nodded as I let out a wide smile knowing that...that tonight I would ask mama._

 _FLASHBACK ENDS_

I knew very well that conversation...happened for a reason this morning and...and I would try to remember it as my mind just...just kept thinking back to how many times I had been rejected in my life, the times I had been heartbroken, the times I had been stomped on, the times I had been beaten, punched, kicked, and almost killed. My life was...was like a movie in some ways..one that I would never ever want to relive. I thought...I thought I'd always be alone, I thought I'd just age out of the system and find my way...find my way somewhere since no one would want me, or wanted me. But... as I looked up to Stef her eyes glanced into mine and she let out the widest smile ever and kissed my forehead as she had always done and I felt her wrap her arms around my waist even tighter. Her protection and constant love...had changed my life. It had changed me...and I wanted it forever.

"Mama.. I'm gonna go put my feet in the water." I soon said glancing up to her once again.

"Ok sweets. We'll be here my love." she said smiling once again as I kissed her cheek and leaned in to kiss Lena's as well for before I asked her...I...I had to think and the sunset and water was just what I needed to get my thoughts together.

* * *

STEF POV

"She looks so happy love. Are you going to ask her?" I heard Lena say as I had come out of my thoughts feeling her grab my hand and smile at me as we had talked about it for a few weeks and she knew I wanted to adopt Callie. I had my strong doubts in the beginning if I would be any good at it but I knew I wouldn't be able to live without this little girl in my life. Seeing her every morning put the biggest smile on my face.

"You think she's ready for it... I mean for me to ask her. I just don't want to pressure her or scare her off?" I said looking over to my daughter who was staring back at me to make sure I was still there like she did every night.

"I'm still here baby looking at you!" I yelled and waved at her as did Lena. Callie smiled at me and turned back to look at the water.

"I think she's more than ready honey and I honestly don't think you are pressuring her. Just ask her if it's something she would like. But in my eyes and I am sure in Callie's eyes if anyone is her mother you are." Lena squeezed my hand as I looked into her brown soft eyes as she had been supportive from day one with Callie.

"This is why I love you baby. This is why and for so many other reasons." I said leaning in to kiss her as she gently kissed me back.

"I love you too Stefanie Marie Foster." I touched her face softly and moved a curl back and tucked it around her ear.

" Love I still want to marry you but…" I trailed off and turned to look at Callie again.

" Baby, I'm not going anywhere. I think you are doing the right thing and you know I'm here. We will get married once Callie gets a little more settled. It's fine honey. You know I want to be and continue to be apart of your life with her. I know how important she is to you and I very much know how important you are to her."

"You are important to me as well my love. The both of you and I want us to be a family. More than anything."

"We already are honey. I am patient." Lena placed her hand on my face and rubbed it.

"Now go get your daughter. She's waiting for you honey." Lena kissed my lips softly again as I kissed hers back. Pulling away gently I smiled at her as she gave me her encouraging look as I slowly got up off the sand and walked slowly over to my little girl who was completely taken in by the sun. I was hoping more then anything that she would want to be apart of my life forever as I wasn't so sure this morning by the fight we had once again for this little girl and I could surely bump heads at times.

* * *

CALLIE POV

"Callie don't be so stupid. This home is just temporary until they find me a permanent one. That was the agreement. Why would she want me? No one ever has. Why would she want me to be Callie Foster?" I shook my head at my stupid idea as I knew my heart wanted it so badly and I just couldn't shake it off. My mind was continuing to be flooded and I continued to second guess myself until I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped. I looked up seeing mama looking down at me and she squeezed my hand softly as she always did.

"I'm sorry love I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, no it's ok I was just looking at the sun and got caught up in my thoughts." I looked down at the sand and held her hand tighter.

"That's ok sweets I know how much you love the sunsets love." She said placing her arm around me and squeezing me close into her uniform. I rested my head on her chest as I loved the comfort and protectiveness she provided. It had taken me a very long time to to trust her as it just went back and forth..and it had taken months as I was completely horrified. Even now once in awhile I found myself sometimes still flinching and she would gently reassure me that I could take all the time in the world to feel ok and comfortable. She never lost patience. My mind was quickly going back to the question I so badly wanted to ask her and I tried to get my lips to move.

"Stef?" I got the nerve to finally say.

"Yes baby?" I looked up to her and stared at her profile that looked out into the sunset.

"I...I don't want to leave you." I stuttered as I quickly moved my eyes to look down at the sand. That was not what I intended to say but it was what came out. Now what? I had already said too much and just wanted to pull away from her but she gently pulled away from me and lifted my chin up to look into her intense eyes.

"Who said you have to leave me sweets?" She questioned. I was confused by her answer as she knew this was only temporary too. Unless she forgot...or...or what Grandma Sharon and Lena said...said were true. That...that maybe she did feel the same way.

"Well, I just mean, this isn't like forever and stuff...and I know. And it's just until someone wants me..but." I trailed off again as I continued to embarrassingly stumble over my words. I locked eyes with her as they were sensitive and kind as she let out a soft smile and rubbed the side of my face and moved in to kiss my forehead.

"Cals baby, I..I never really thought...well...after my miscarriages I never intended to have children. I mean I just didn't think I would be any good at it. To be honest I just planned on being a cop since that seemed to be the only thing I was good at. I certainly never intended on falling in love with Lena. That I never saw coming." She laughed and I smiled as she looked deeply into my eyes and held my chin up softly as she always did.

"But you my love, goodness...you were the biggest surprise of my life..and I wasn't sure how to ask you myself as I didn't know if you would want it." Her eyes were beginning to tear which I rarely saw, but I didn't understand what she was saying to me.

"Want what?" I said confused as I didn't know what she was talking about. Unless she meant what I thought but that couldn't be possible. Or could it?

"Callie my love, my sweet girl, I would love more then anything to adopt you if that's what you would like...I don't know if.." I heard Stef but her voice faded out as I continued to look into her eyes without hearing her. I didn't know if I heard what I thought I heard. I had no idea if I heard it. Or if my mind was playing tricks on me. My heart was beating faster and faster and my stomach that had been filled with knots was lessening. But was she kidding? Was she playing a joke on me. I didn't know if she was or if she was real. Sometimes my life with Stef felt to good to be real and that scared me because I felt like it could be taken away at any moment. At any single moment it could go back to what it was for the past 15 years. Pain, abuse, loneliness. All the things she tried to erase could come any single moment.I..I was speechless. I didn't know how to answer as I wasn't expecting this. Stef wanted to be my mom.

"Callie?" I heard her call my name as I was still deep in thought and I looked back into her tear stained eyes.

"Babygirl is that not something you want love?"

I just looked into her eyes as the past year of my life flooded back into my mind. Every...every horrible thing that had happened to me with the family that wanted to adopt me but ended up ditching me in the end, to the horrible abused I suffered with Justina...and then to.. then to Stef and Lena where my life had changed. Where I found happiness, where I found love. My heart...my heart felt...it didn't know...it didn't know how to feel as tears just continued to stream down my face...and and I couldn't really speak..

"You...you want to adopt me?" I finally said as I stumbled over my words.

"Yes my love. I've...I've wanted to adopt you from day one. But I didn't want to scare you off or freak you out. I didn't want to rush things and go to fast for you. I just wanted to make sure you were ok, that you were comfortable with me. I...wanted...and want the best for you...and I can't imagine my life without you. Not one day." she gently wiped the tears from my eyes as...as I...nodded my head at her...as..I couldn't honestly believe what I was hearing. I couldn't..and my heart was...my heart was filled more then it ever had been and...and I swallowed hard as my eyes looked up to hears once again.

"Yes...yes.. mama.I ...I want to be Callie Foster. I do...I've...I've always wanted it...I've always wanted you to be my mama...and I love you so much." I said as tears continued to stream down her eyes more then ever and she leaned in to give me the hardest warmest hug ever.

"My baby." she whispered into my ear as I melted...melted into her arms my tears...my tears stained her uniform shirt...and my arms wrapped around her tighter and tighter as I would never ever let her go. Ever. She...she had not failed me, she had ..she had not hurt me, she had...she had been the first person I had ever truly truly trusted and given my entire heart to. She had never stomped on it, she had never broken it, she had never stabbed it, she had never...ever killed my soul and spirit that had been broken by so many people. More then I could ever count. Much more as I felt her hug me harder and I heard her sniffle and kiss the top of my head.

"Callie.." she said now slowly pulling away from me and gently placing her hands on my face.

"Yes mama?"

"I want you to know that...that I take this very seriously...you are..you are my life, you are my joy and you are my first priority. I know that I'm not perfect, and I know that..we will bump heads more just like this morning...but no matter what you do, no matter if you mess up, make mistakes, make me angry...I will love you. I will continue to love you harder. And you may not always like what I do, or understand, but I do it for your well-being. For your protection..and not because I think your a baby, not because of that...but because you mean the world to me...and one day..you will go off to college, and start your own life and I hope that I will be able to give you the tools you need, and the examples to lead a happy and successful life that you have always always deserved my baby. I hope I show you how to handle your past, your heartache, your pain...in a positive way so that when you become a mother one day...you will know. I don't...I don't mean to police you...I don't mean to do that and it's never my intention to ever..ever treat you like a criminal, because that is not how I see you. Never. And I will work on leaving cop mode at work. OK?"

I could only smile as I wrapped my arms around her waist once again.

"You've always been my mama. Always..and I'll never let you go. Ever." I said crying in her arms once again.

"Callie my love, my sweet girl, I'll never let you go either my baby. Never."

With this Callie felt relieved of her burdens, of her heartache and of her fear. She...she had given her entire self to her mother...and a few moment later she felt Lena join there hug kissing the both of them as she herself continued to cry tears of happiness.

* * *

NOTE: Since I began this story so much has changed since when I originally wrote the first chapter so I will need to make some adjustments to chapter one to match the rest of the story. Thank you guys for continuing to read. Don't worry it's not over!


	37. Becoming

**What did you guys think of the premier episode? I've watched it almost three times! It was just amazing!**

 **I really wanted to get a chapter out for you guys today! I hope you enjoy it and if I do anymore edits to it I will let you know!**

 **Thanks again for your support!**

 **-Stef1981**

"That is amazing to hear honey. It really is.. and I'm so happy for Stef, and all of you. That little girl sounds like she had one heck of a life. Just tragic." Dana said with a tone of sadness in her voice as Lena sat at her desk drinking the last bit of chamomile tea before the morning school rush would begin. It had been a few days since Stef had asked Callie if she could formerly adopt her and despite being the happiest she ever had been...part of the curly haired woman felt, empty.

"She has mom. She really has." she voiced with a hint of sadness.

"But, honey, I still can't believe you went behind Stef's back and contacted her mother and read all her letters. Goodness child."

"Mom..I didn't do it intentionally, and I never planned on contacting Sharon." Lena took another long sip of her tea as she was beginning to regret this phone call.

"But honey...the way you went about it, just having the woman show up and.."

"Mom..I know. It was wrong of me. Ok? And I apologized to Stef for being, well invasive, and making a decision for her that wasn't mine to make. Ok?"

"Ok sweetheart you don't have to get all defensive I understand."

"Mom..I'm not getting..I'm not getting defensive. ok. Just stop...stop getting on my case. I felt bad enough as it is. I still feel bad." Lena placed her hand on her forehead shaking her head as she tried so hard to remember why she had called her mother to begin with. So far she was no help whatsoever.

"Honey..

"Mom please...I'm happy I intervened ok. Stef and her mom have made a tone of progress, and she's been good for Callie." she insisted as Dana could clearly sense there was more going on with her daughter then she cared to reveal. Much more.

"Well...if it all worked out in the end...I guess no harm was done but still. I keep telling you. It's important to communicate with your partner especially since you plan on getting married...and moving in together. I assume that is still on the table?"

Lena took another sip of her tea and the headache she felt was continuing to grow at her mother's constant interrogation.

"Yes mom it's still on the table. Stef and I very much still plan on getting married."

"Well that's good to hear I just hope it happens before I turn 80. But...there's something else going on and I can hear it in your voice. Plus you called me at a random time. What's going on my dear?"

Lena's eyes widened as it was evident she was failing at hiding her true feelings as she tried to mask over them once again. Something she had begged Callie not to do with her and Stef.

"Nothing...I Just called to say hi and update you on everything. Why does anything need to be wrong?" Lena stuttered.

"Oh honey you may be able to fool many people but you can't fool your mama. Spill it."

The curly haired women let out a sigh...as she knew very well why she had called her mother. She knew...but she didn't know if...if she should really admit to it. Or if she did admit it then what would that mean. How could she say, how could even say she was feeling empty, and lost. She loved Stef, she loved her more then anything, and she loved Callie as she stared happily at the picture of the three of them from the beach.

"Let me guess..you want to adopt Callie don't you? You want to adopt Callie and marry Stef now?"

"Mom.." Lena's eyes widened.

"Well is that it?"

"How on earth could you know that? I mean..."

"Honey..I gave birth to you. And I know you. I know you very well and I know how badly you wanted and want a child. I know how badly you want a family...and how long you have waited for this." The brunette swallowed hard as a few moments went by.

"Unless I'm wrong?" Dana questioned.

"No...you're not mom. You're not wrong a all." the slim woman closed her eyes as she wanted to keep the tears from falling as she glanced once again at the photo.

"Lena what is it honey? Talk to me sweetheart. I know I drive you crazy but you called me for a reason and there's more to it. I can here it in your voice and I always tell you it's not good to keep those things bottled up. It will eat you alive. "

"Callie...she called me mom." she now blurted out as it had been almost two weeks since Callie had uttered those words to her and Lena had never forgotten the sound of out. The way it had made her feel, and the way it had, the way it had filled and warmed her heart like nothing else ever had. It had truly touched her heart, and her soul more then she could ever imagine.

"Well.. now..how did that make you feel?" Dana's voice softened as she could feel her heart begin to melt as well.

"Like my heart exploded mom. Like it exploded all over." Lena laughed.

"So..as I assumed that little girl sees you as her mother too. Well that's not shocking to me. Not at all." Dana knew very well that her little girl had the heart of an angel.

"I'm not sure..I mean..

" Honey...she does. I can tell you that right now. Even if she appears to be closer to Stef she loves you just as much. You both provide something different for her. That I can be sure of based on what you have told me and that's a wonderful thing because it is a good balance in parenting. But honey my question is why don't you talk to Stef? I mean shouldn't you be telling her this, how you feel, what's on your mind. Stef..I'm sure she would want to know because she loves you and she would really do anything for you. And from what I recall that was the problem with that Monte woman she was fooling around and didn't really know what you needed. Plus she was horribly selfish. Goodness I mean of course I didn't realize that until you told me more about what happened. But it was the same with Gretchen... She just.." Dana went on as Lena jumped in to stop it as she couldn't believe how much of her history she was bringing up. History that she did not in anyway want to think about.

"Mother please don't bring Monte up. I still work with her." She said quietly as she shook hear head in disbelief for the breakup with Monte had been more that awkward enough as they still had there challenges on a daily basis working together. Lena knew Monte still carried feelings for her and that she despised Stef more then anyone. But Monte was the one who had been unfaithful and just didn't have Lena's best feelings at heart or the level of commitment her and Stef had. There was just no match.

"Listen...all I'm saying is. Why don't you communicate with your partner?

"What do you want me to do mother. Do you want me to tell her I want to marry her now, adopt Callie and...

"And what?"

"Nothing."

"And get pregnant?"

Lena shook her head once again at all her crazy thoughts.

"It's too much mom too much at once I mean she has so much going on...I mean the adoption, working overtime, this whole thing with Justina..

"Lena...as a mother I will tell you that is life. We will always have a lot of things going on and if we waited for them to stop, goodness we would never do anything. I Know you mentioned Stef has your best interest at heart but she can't fully bet he partner she wants to you if you don't communicate with her. I mean...when was the last time you both talked? And more importantly when was the last time you both had sex?"

"Mom!"

"Listen...I'm not asking to be in your business but that's an important part of your relationship honey...also the longevity. I mean when your father and I.."

"Mom...I don't need to hear this. I really really don't." Lena whispered to herself as she put her hand to her face trying to shield her embarrassment.

"I'm just saying honey that...it's important and.."

"It's...it's been a few months. ok mom. It's been some time."

"Goodness. You must be ready to explode." Dana chuckled.

"Ok mom I'm hanging up since my life is so funny."

"Oh relax sweetheart and don't be such a prude. This is real life and I'm just trying to help my dear and letting you know that even if a child has come into the mix you and Stef still need to talk and you need, my goodness you need to be intimate. Rent a motel room for an hour if you have to. Meet during lunch...anything."

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you...

"Please...this is what parents do sometimes. However I will propose something to you. I would love to meet Callie and see who this little girl is that has my daughter so smitten. How about I take a trip over to San Diego so you and Stef can have some much need time alone. Just a night or two?"

"I don't know if we can leave Callie mom...she's still very afraid without Stef around."

"Leave that to me. Just say you will think about it. I haven't seen either of you in the longest and I miss you honey."

"I...I'm not sure its a good time..."

"Lena, my darling, it's a perfect time. Fix these issues now, get your feelings out on the table now. Think of yourself just this once child."

As Lena listened and took in the words of her mother she realized that it was time for her to talk to Stef. That if they were planning on marrying, and sharing a life together that she would need to tell her. Tell her in order for there relationship to continue to grow, blossom and most of all, last. Maybe she thought she would tell her after dinner tonight.

* * *

As Stef Foster looked into the mirror of her SUV ..she almost didn't recognize the woman staring back at her. For this woman...the one looking right at her...had changed. She had changed dramatically and it became ever more present since asking Callie if she could formally adopt her a few days ago. Since that day, since that moment...she could feel that change. And it...it was a good change. A change she had been looking for, a change she had been searching for more then anything. A change that was a must in order to fully become the mother she wanted to be so badly for Callie. A change that was necessary in order to become the partner and soon to be wife of Lena Adams. A change she had accepted and ...and saw coming for years but had been to afraid to take the leap. But..today...she had done it. She had accepted that change and because of this acceptance she had finally chopped all of her hair off. Gone were the long, gorgeous locks of her past. Locks that held so much baggage, so much weight, so much meaning and locks that had burdened her. Burdened her since her teenage years as her hair had hung long down to her butt. Hair that Mike had loved, hair that her mother had loved and friends had loved. Hair the she hid behind forever. Hair that she never dared to cut shorter then below her bra strap. Hair that symbolized that she was...that she was a woman who somehow didn't appear to look, to look like a dyke. Stef herself had been called the word a few times especially when she came out only a short time ago. It was mostly from the guys at work and occasionally when she had been out with Lena holding hands. I mean it wasn't a secret that she was the butch of the relationship even if..even if that scared her. Even if that fed into a stereotype that she was afraid for she was just trying, trying more then ever to accept the person she was, to accept that she was gay and to accept it 100 percent. But the fear...the fear she was trying to shed for years..fear that continued to permeate her mind since she was a teenager and thinking the long hair..hid who she really was.

In her minds eye Stef had her daughter to thank. Callie had really shown her...without even trying how to face your fears. Even as an adult as she continued to watch the young girl struggle on a daily basis with the person she was, struggle with the fear that she wasn't good enough, that she was worthless, that she was hopeless and that no one wanted her because she was a foster kid. Because she had been labeled or perceived as being damaged. Because no one wanted to take the time to see who she really was deep down inside only looking at the outside scars the girl had been plagued with her entire life. Callie herself...she had built a protective shell around herself to shield herself from the pain she had gone through throughout her 15 years of life. Just as Stef had built a protective shell around her own body to shield herself from the outside from people knowing who she really was. The shell of strength, but deep inside...confusion, sadness and longing. The two were...were very much struggling on parallel paths whether they fully knew it or not. But Stef knew, she knew very well the words she continued to speak to her little girl were words she had not followed herself. She really had not as she stared back at the short blonde haircut in the car mirror, which no one had seen yet, she could only wonder...wonder if she had the courage to really show who she was. She was wondering if.. if she could do it. She thought she had...but she had not and she could only wonder what Lena would think of her now. If she would still find her attractive...if she would still see her as feminine, or just...And Callie. Goodness what would Callie think now. Would she still want her to adopt her, would she be embarrassed, would she be embarrassed to be seen with her, would she think..or only see her mother as a butch. What if her feelings changed. She wasn't sure if she could really handle that. But he cop...she knew that...she knew that if she didn't come out of her shell just as she was watching Callie come out of hers that she never would. That she would be cheating herself, her daughter and Lena. If she was really going to do this..if she was going to face her biggest demon, she would do it head first. That demon being Frank Cooper. Despite everything that had been going on with Callie's hospitalization and the charges she had pressed against Justina..there was still the issue of whether she would see her father. She knew..she knew it was something no one could pressure her to do, it was her choice regardless of it. Sharon had not pressured her, and neither had Lena. But..she knew he was ill, she knew he didn't have much time left...and the choice to see him had not been an easy one. Not by any means. But the more she thought about being Callie's mother, the more she wanted to clear her...clear her mind of her issues, deal with her issues, and be an example to a young girl that never had one. That alone had...had made it clear to her what she needed to do more then ever.

Looking at the dashboard clock and realizing she was already twenty minutes late to there celebratory pizza dinner she let out a loud sigh. Even if she felt the best she had ever felt right now it was still hard. It was still very hard as if she was going to do this..she was going to do it. For it was now or never.

* * *

"Mama's late." Callie said looking at the time on her watch as Lena sat across from her drinking a cold ice-d water. The two had agreed to take Callie out to wherever she wanted to celebrate her soon to be adoption and the teen had searched long and hard for the best pizza in San Diego all day with Sharon.

"She will be here honey..she's coming from work so you know sometimes she gets caught up honey." The brunette smiled as she knew Callie always worried when Stef was running behind no matter what as she took another sip of her water.

The teen smiled as she kept looking turning to look at the door anxiously waiting for he smother.

"So miss you only have about 5 more days until you can go to school, Are you excited?" Lena asked taking another sip of her cold water.

"I think. Although I'm anxious now and feel nervous. It always feels like it's my first day." Callie shrugged.

"I can understand. But your doing well bug..and your grades they are soo..." But Lena was soon ...was soon unable to utter the next few words as her eyes widened seeing Stef walk into the door. Or..or was it Stef..for she...but yes it most certainly was her and Lena was almost speechless...as she could feel...she could feel..she could feel...something radiating in her heart as it almost exploded for couldn't believe how...how remarkable, not to mention incredibly sexy her partner looked. She looked...beyond amazing and there she stood the woman she had known for a little more then a year...finally, finally being herself. Being the person she truly was. Finally and gone...was the long, burdening hair she had carried around all her life, the hair she hid behind, the hair Lena always saw as...as part of her shell and she was finally...finally the confident person she had longed to be her entire life. What Lena felt was more attraction then she had ever ever felt for Stef. It wasn't just her physical appearance it was...it was the entire presence that had changed as she now let out the biggest smile of her life. But she could see Stef was worried, that she was nervous and she knew it wasn't easy for her...but the brunette couldn't stop smiling as Callie looked to her confused.

"Lena..whats wrong?" she asked as the teen could see the look of shock on the woman's face.

"Turn around Callie." She voiced and placing her hand on the young girls hand as Callie's eyes soon widened and she looked behind her. But once she turned around her face just as Lena's had lit up just as much but more then ever...for standing behind them was the mother she had...she had always wanted and wished for. One who was confident, strong, caring. One who set an example, one who was facing there own fears, one who..one who embodied everything she herself wanted to be. And one in Callie's eyes as well...had become herself and she could..she could almost feel tears begin to form in her eyes at how beautiful her mother looked. She could.

"She...she... looks beautiful." The teen whispered to herself as the smiled remained on her face.

"That she does honey. That she does." Lena remained awestruck as Stef had made eye contact with both Callie and her partner and her fears had eased a bit when she saw the smiles on their faces. Maybe just maybe it was possible and maybe evident that...that they still both loved her. Just maybe. And maybe they weren't embarrassed, maybe they didn't think bad of her, maybe she...maybe she didn't look like a dkye. Maybe just maybe she looked like Stef Foster. The Stef Foster she always wanted to look like.


	38. Pizza and Love

**Thanks for you patience and enjoy.**

 **This chapter has Mature content and as always if there are any spelling or grammar issues I will go back in and fix.**

 **Enjoy loves!-Stef1981**

"Mama..you look..you look so beautiful!" Said the young teen who wrapped her arms tightly around her mother's waist while her young face dug into Stef's uniform shirt. It was true that Callie loved her mother's new look for she felt like she looked so confident and fierce. The blonde herself was beyond relieved as it very well seemed that Callie still in fact did love her no matter how she looked she thought to herself as she hugged her little girl back harder then ever. Meanwhile, her eyes couldn't help but glance over to the love of her life who had yet to stop staring at her and judging by the curly haired woman's expression she seemed pleased. More then pleased in fact for Lena was awestruck and somewhat speechless as she was not expecting this remarkable change she saw before her. Not in the least for her mind was so overtaken by Stef's appearance that gone was the planned conversation she had been rehearsing all day in her head about there future and where there relationship was going. Lena to be honest had her mind on one thing and one thing only. Gliding her tongue across the blondes body, across her neck which was completely exposed now and sliding her fingers in between her legs.

The blonde could only smile back at her girlfriend as she kissed the top of her little girls head stroking her soft curls as the teen squeezed her harder.

Gently pulling away she looked into Callie's big brown wide eyes as the teen rubbed the side of her mom's face affectionately and leaned in to hug her once again.

"Thank you sweetheart. Thank you. That means alot to mama. Come let's sit." the blonde glanced over at her partner once again as she took the seat next to her as Lena still had yet to utter one word. The slim woman just couldn't seem to speak and she was completely tongue tied as she saw the blonde soon lean in to gently kiss her on the lips. The cop however was becoming a little worried for maybe she was reading Lena wrong. Maybe she did hate her new hair. Just as she was about to say something Callie soon spoke and interrupted her thoughts.

"What made you cut it mama?" she asked happily as the blondes eyes left Lena's face and caught the attention of her young teen.

"Yes tell us love?" Lena smiled as she soon slide her hand into Stef's and gently rubbed it as she could clearly see the panic and hesitation in the blondes face.

"I um...I just..you know got tired of fixing my hair everyday." She lied and fell silent as her shy side was truly surfacing and she was finding it harder to admit to what she was really feeling as the doubts were soon creeping up once again internally.

"Ma..you always tell me not to worry when you want to say how you really feel. You can tell us you know. Like the real reason." Callie smiled widely.

"Well she knows her mama doesn't she." Lena said smiling at the blonde who blew air our of her mouth for it was true Callie really did know her and she had promised she would practice what she preached as both women continued to stare at her waiting for her to speak the truth. She had to admit for some reason this was alot harder then she really imagined as she felt Lena gently squeeze her hand once again.

"I um..I got tired of hiding...I got tired of hiding behind who I really was and being ashamed of who I was. I was...I was scared."

"Scared?...Of what?" Lena questioned in a serious tone.

"Um..scared of what people would think...scared I'd...Id look..." she stopped as she now glanced to her daughters eyes once gain who was listening with more intensity then ever as the blonde was somewhat hesitant to admit it her own internal fears which were many. But she remembered how many things Callie had admited to her about her past, about her deep dark fears, about her horrible childhood, about her abuse and pain. If that little girl could admit it to her after years of adults failing her she could surely admit her own feelings right here to them.

"I..I was scared I'd look like dyke, like a butch." she admitted shyly as Lena's face suddenly fell saddened and Callie..she felt heartbroken. To her it was true she had not been around many gay people at all and all the foster families she had been in had been straight or single parent homes. But to her it didn't make them any better for most of them were horrible people. Some of the most horrible people she ever met. Stef and Lena though..she never judged them once. Ever. Even on that first day she met them and Lena introduced Stef as her girlfriend it didn't phase her one bit and the word dyke had never even entered her head or butch. Sure she knew what those terms meant she definitely knew, and she wasn't blind to the fact what people might think but to her.. she saw them as two amazing women who loved her, two women who would do anything for anyone, two women who she scarified a lot to have the life they wanted, two women who she knew had given up so many things for her in the past few months, and two women who loved one another. Callie was very much aware and knew it must be hard for them at times being gay but she never cared once as to her they were just her mama...and her mom as she felt tears soon fall from eyes.

"Stef.." Lena said softly as they suddenly heard sniffles and both looked to Callie who was crying.

"Love...baby..what's..wrong? What's wrong sweets." Stef asked as the two women could see the tears trickle more down the girls face as she shook her head.

"Just...I..I don't care if you guys are gay. I never did and.. and..who cares what anyone else thinks. If they have a problem with it forget them. Just forget them..because as long as you feel good about yourself, and as long as you are happy with who you are and are becoming non of what those people think even matters. It never mattered to me ever and it never has or ever will. I would tell everyone in here that your'e..that your'e my mother in a heartbeat and I would tell the world. Yeah my mother is gay and I'm proud of her...and my mom is too. And I'm proud of her too. I'm proud of both my moms. More then anything."

As both women listened to the young teen, tears soon fell down the cops face as did Lena's for Callie had referred to not only Stef as her mother but to Lena as well. It was the first time she had ever done that and the blonde couldn't help but look over to slim woman who she could see tears had fallen down her face as she squeezed her hand. Whipping her own tears she glanced back to Callie and let out a soft smile to her as the words she had spoken had almost made her heart explode. Up until this point for some reason it had..it had not even come across her how she had become to see Lena. She had been so caught up in just making sure the teen was ok, working and trying to keep up with her needs that it had skipped her mind. Nonetheless the fact that...that she refererd to Lena as her mother as well...there were no words. No words at all for it wasn't...life wasn't about long hair, short hair..it was about love. And clearly this little girl loved them both more then she really thought. Callie was both of there's and the expression of them being her, moms, was endearing...and instead of adopting Callie on her own she wondering if Lena...if Lena wanted to as well. Adopt the young girl as a couple.

"Callie come here baby. Come here." the blonde heard Lena say as the young emotional teen stood up walking over to the both of them as Stef opened her arms inviting the young girl to sit on her lap and Callie happily did. The cop wrapped her arms tightly around the teens waist as Callie now sat face to face with Lena and the curly haired woman placed her hands inside of the teens young hands. Callie's words had touched her heart more then ever.

"Callie, you're so mature and just an amazing young girl. And it means the world to us the words you just said. It really does. And we both love you so much honey. We really do honey." Lena gently wiped the girls tears from her cheeks as her words were more gently then ever.

"I...I love you too mom." she smiled as Lena leaned in to give her a hug. Stef herself hugged both of them and she knew her and Lena would need to talk for there plans would most certainly change. They would become a family faster then she realized and that...that thought alone was enough for her to be the happiest person ever as she hugged the both of them harder then ever. Stef knew...she knew what the next step was. Marriage.

* * *

The evening had been a joyous and wonderful time for all three women as they spent the time in each others company celebrating. Celebrating there love and celebrating that they would soon be a family together. Callie's fears of no one ever wanting her were slowly fading hopefully for good, Lena her wish of adopting Callie was coming true and being a family with Stef, and Stef's fear of her short haircut making her unlovable quickly went away faster then anything along with her fears of not being a good mother to Callie and following in her father's footsteps. Those fears had disappeared and she hopped for good as well. Of course they still had miles to go but those thoughts were put to the side for this night wasn't about that. Not in the least. After enjoying a pizza dinner, they had all went for ice cream and a movie arriving home passed midnight. Callie was utterly exhausted and for the first night in months she went straight to her bed to Stef's surprise and passed out on her own.

"Wow did she just go to her room?" she said softly to Lena with a hint of shock in her voice.

"She did. Maybe she's not afraid tonight love. I mean..she's really come along way babe." The curly haired woman said as she plopped on the couch now realizing how exhausted she actually felt.

"Well, look out the window pigs might be flying around." the blonde joked. "Or maybe she doesn't need me anymore."

"Honey.. please. I don't think that little girl will ever stop needing you. You're her angel baby."

"Yeah." Stef smiled wide at the comparison as she finally took her boots off leaning back into the couch for she herself could finally relax a bit for the time being. Although she had to admit she was beyond exhausted.

"Goodness, how sweet was Callie. With what she told us." she said now looking at the ceiling.

"Very. She's a special little girl babe. I just can't believe how mistreated she has been. It's unbelievable." Lena said saddened as she pulled up Stef legs and gently began to rub her soft feet.

"If I even think about it I'll loose it. I mean we all have problems..and if you're gonna be a foster parent do your job."

"Well, you know baby a lot of people are unfortunately in it for the money."

"Yeah. Don't I know."

"Stef?"

"Yeah love?"

"I love you baby."

Upon hearing this the blonde turned to look at the curly haired woman who smiled wide at her.

"I love you too." Stef said moving her feet off of Lena's lap and leaning in to gently kiss her soft lips. Soft and slow she slid her tongue into the slim woman's mouth as they gently twirled them together as she soon felt Lena pull away.

"And for the record...I didn't get to tell you earlier...just um..what this haircut is doing to me." she said as a small smirk formed on her face as she ran her fingers through the blondes short hair. Stef swallowed hard as she suddenly could see the expression change on Lena's face. It was an expression that only she knew the meaning of. Lena was horny and she was turning her on as well just by the way she was looking and speaking to her.

"Yeah..what does it do to you baby?" She uttered in the softest tone that she only spoke when they made love as she turned her body to face Lena now stroking her thigh from under her skirt lightly.

"Well ...seeing you like this..." she leaned in closer to her ear.

"Seeing.. you like this it makes me wanna lick between your legs." Lena whispered shyly as she began to unbutton Stef's uniform shirt and the blonde could feel the wetness form between her own legs. She had to admit she was more then relieved and...somewhat shocked at how turned on her partner seemed to be by her haircut as she thought to herself and knew very well that it had been awhile since they had been intimate. A few months to be exact and she most certainty missed feeling her. She missed her very much and it was true they had not shared a bed since Callie moved in as they didn't think it was the best thing at the time but, Stef would lie if she said she didn't miss feeling the naked brunette lay next to her at night and the way she felt as there bodies rubbed against one another. She had been tempted on more then one occasion to sneak away for a few hours to make love to the curly haired woman while her mother was home with Callie. Many times as she now stared intensely into Lena's soft brown eyes as she had finished unbuttoning her entire shirt revealing her black tank top underneath.

"Does it baby?" she questioned as she leaned in once again to kiss her soft lips...gliding her tongue down slowly to her neck sucking on it while her hands found there way all the way up Lena's skirt to her ass which she softly rubbed. By this time Lena...Lena was finding it hard to think as she pulled the blonde shirt off revealing her tank top that exposed her strong arms that Lena loved more then anything. Stef's strong and somewhat masculine arms..but feminine at the same time she though as she continued to run her hands through her blonde hair and feeling the wetness grow between her legs. She had forgotten what this cop could do to her..she really had as she really wanted to spread her legs open and lick her clit.

"Um... yes. Yes.. it does honey."

"Then...my love why don't we do something about it babe."

"But..but...what about Callie?..honey...we can't we can't do it here." she whispered as the blonde continued to kiss her neck harder and harder leaving a few hickies very prevalent. Stef knew very well her daughter was in the next room...but they would be as quiet as possible and for the first time she would lock the door for she knew her and Lena needed this..they needed this time, this moment. They needed to be intimate more then ever as her body had been craving it if she really stopped to think about it.

"I know that love...but I have a room you know baby...It wont take long." she winked now getting up and grabbing Lena's hands to help her get up.

"What if she wakes up honey?" A look of worry grew on the brunettes face.

"Then,,, she wakes up baby and we'll stop.. but right now she's asleep..and...and...I'm wet."

Stef smirked as Lena...Lena felt her head spin for her pussy was continuing to drip wet from the way Stef had been kissing her neck and the way she was talking to her. If she didn't cum...she would surely explode.

"Come.. baby, stop worrying and let me make you cum." Stef whispered once again into her ear gently sliding her fingers up the slim woman's back and soon trailing down to her ass once again. Sliding her hand into Lena's she lead them both into the bedroom and quietly locked the door behind them. Turning around she was surprised to see her right behind her and almost immediately the curly haired woman had began to lift up Stef's tank top and and impatiently unhooking her bra revealing her perky and beautiful tits, as she unbuckled her pants, sliding them off while they kissed harder and faster then ever. Stef herself pulled up Lena's dress revealing her bra and underwear as the slim women layed her back on the bed as the cop slide down her underwear and unhooked Lena's bra gently rubbing her hands now on her tits. They continued to kiss roughly and passionately for they had been craving to feel one another for weeks. Weeks if not months as Lena rolled the cop over on her back as she was the one who wanted to make her cum first as Stef looked to her surprised.

"Babe?"

"Sshh..let me." the brunette winked as she slid the cops underwear off and gently opened her legs sliding her tongue across the blondes clit licking softly, gently and slowly. The blonde herself...was leaking more then ever as she opened her legs wider and wider letting out a soft moan. Lena rubbed her soft legs up and down as her tougue continued to slide deeper into Stef's wet hole and was leaking more pre cum then she could imagine. It was true that the blonde was usually the first one to start and to make Lena cum...but the brunette from the time she saw her haircut..had imagined being in between her legs...for she wanted to be the one to be in charge in the beginning as she continued to lick and now nibble a little on her clit. She could feel Stef wanted to moan louder as her body lifted itself up a bit and her eyes rolled in the back of her head as the brunette opened her pussy more with her soft hands and begin to finger her softly.

"Cum baby...cum for me..." Lena spoke softly as two fingers entered the cops wet hole...now three as she fingered her faster and harder, now licking again, now fingering as Stef's breathing had,,,had increased and all she could feel was like she was floating...floating on a cloud of heaven as her mind became foggy for she could feel her body...her body getting ready to explode for Lena was teasing the fuck out of her.

The brunette could feel the blonde body tense up once again for she knew she was ready to cum in her mouth as she now took her thumb and rubbed her soft pink clit with and sliding her tongue into her whole once again.

"Lena...don't..don't stop...right there.." the blonde moaned as she opened her legs even wider grabbing the bars on her headboard as her head leaned completely back and Lena now licked her clit faster and harder back and forth tasting the cops sweet pussy juice of which she couldn't get enough of.

"I'm gonna cum...Lena...I'm..."

Lena ignored her and licked faster then ever as she fingered her once again..licking and fingering and then Stef exploded in her mouth as her cum leaked out more then ever..her body shaking her mind completely blank as a smile graced her face. Lena continued to lick her more and more as Stef's body continued to shake from pure satisfaction, sensitivity and horneyness as she felt Lena's tongue glide up her stomach..all the way up to her tits which she gently licked and sucked while her legs wrapped around the cops thigh. She began to rub her middle..her extremely wet middle on the blondes soft thigh as the two passionately kissed once again and Stef's hands trailed down her back once again.

"You gonna cum for me Mrs..Adams Foster?" Stef gently graced the brunette's face but upon hearing this Lena stopped and froze as...as she wasn't sure if she heard right or if the blonde was teasing her.

"What?" she questioned.

"Do you want to get married baby?"

" You ask me while I'm laying horny and naked on top of you." Lena laughed.

"Well...romantic right?" The cop smiled.

"I mean..we planned on getting married...but "

"But nothing honey. Marry me baby. Marry me this month, tomorrow,next week. I want you. I want only you and I don't know why I waited so long to ask you. I mean even before Callie I should have asked you. There's no one else I want. No one. I want you and only you." she gently stroked her back as Lena felt the tears in her eyes.

"Stef..I'd marry you right this second. I would...so...Yes. Yes honey. It's all I've ever wanted."

"I know baby. I know."

The blonde could only smile as the two gently kissed once again and Lena rolled on her back feeling Stef kiss her entire body from her neck down to her feet rolling her tongue down her neck, across her soft caramel skin and tits which she bit and sucked on a little knowing it was one of Lena's sensitive spots. The brunette could feel her middle exploding and almost vibrating for she craved feeling Stef more then anything as the cop continued to make her way down south.

"Open your legs baby." she whispered as the brunette slowly opened her legs and the blonde gently glided her tongue on Lena's soft wet pussy. Lena use to the long blonde hair found herself enjoying the short hair even more as she ran her fingers once again through it pushing Stef's head in a little more between her legs. The blonde herself was beyond immersed as she could feel her pussy begin to leak once again just by licking her partners. She gently slide her tongue up and down softly as she spread Lena's pussy open more as well as her legs. Lena herself tried hard not to moan but ...but she was finding it hard not too.

"Stef..." she moaned.

Licking faster and harder and tasting her precum she gently bit her clit causing Lena to let out a loud moan and Stef placed one of her hands over her mouth as she licked and bit more...nibbling on her clit and sliding her tongue faster and faster over her clit. Lena's body began to shake harder then ever as she moaned louder hiding her face in a pillow to mute her moans as she exploded in Stefs mouth more then ever. The blonde continued to lick faster and faster now sliding three fingers in her hole and Lena exploded a second time as she could feel her entire head become dizzy and fog over. The cop gently ran her tongue up Lena's body once again coming face to face with her.

"I love you my love." she said softly as she gently rubbed Lena's face.

"I love you too Stefanie Adams Foster."


	39. Oh What A Morning

**Hi all! Hope you enjoy!**

 **I also want to say I apologize I can't update everyday like I use too. I've been really busy at work and it leaves me less time to write. I will try to update at least twice a week. Thanks again and enjoy!**

 **-Stef1981**

"It's been awhile huh?" Stef whispered as she held Lena closely to her chest. Her arms wrapped tightly around the brunette as her fingers gently rubbed her back softly making circles on her caramel skin.

"It has. I've missed you." Lena admitted shyly.

"I've missed you too baby. I've missed you too." she said placing a soft kiss on Lena's forehead as the curly haired woman leaned in even closer to the blonde's chest melting into her even more. She wanted to be as close as possible to her and still that wasn't close enough.

"You felt nice love...I had almost forgotten." The slim woman joked.

"Oh yeah? Goodness. Is my tongue not that memorable?" the blonde smiled as Lena looked up to her with a mischievous grin.

"Um you and you're tongue are most certainly memorable. You should know this woman."

Stef herself let out a wink at her attractive and sensitive fiance who she knew she had neglected. Neglected in more then one way even if the brunette had never once made her feel that way. But how could she not feel that way. They had not made love in months and it was something they had done almost daily prior to Callie's arrival. She too had missed Lena in this way terribly.

"My love, I'm sorry I've been neglecting you these past few months. I'm sorry we didn't move things on faster and...

"Hey hey. Listen. I told you before Stef...our lives have changed. You took on a massive responsibility one that many people would never take on and that was extremely, well is extremely admirable. You changed that girls life. And now you're gonna be a mama."

"And so are you babe. You've change her life as well, "mom." The cop said letting out a wide smile as she thought back to the pizza dinner when she had heard her little girl call Lena that beautiful word. It was more touching then anything as she had seen in Lena's face the tears that were swelling up.

"I didn't tell you..she called me mom once before." Lena admitted.

"When baby?"

"That morning you went to see Sharon. We were talking, and she, she opened herself up to me a little. She was very upset about leaving. Leaving you. I mean I told her she didn't have to leave that neither you or I would ever make her leave. And she...she hugged me and called me mom." Thinking back to that morning the curly haired woman could feel the tears form in her eyes again for it had been the sweetest thing ever for the thing she wished for more then anything was for someone to call her that.

"Love,..why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know, so much went on that day with her seeing Justina and then going to the ER and ..I just..I had forgotten about it I guess."

Stef didn't believe that for a minute. That was something you just didn't forget and she knew too well. That was never ever something she would forget either or push to the back burner.

"Honey please look at me." Lena soon pulled away as she laid next to Stef on the opposite pillow.

"Babe...come on...I don't think you forgot. Talk to me my love."

"Stef..I..I didn't want to intrude."

"Intrude on what love?" the blonde now turning her body to fully face Lena as she had no idea what she could even mean. None at all.

"Babe..I didn't want to intrude on your relationship I guess. I didn't even know Callie saw me like that. I had no idea she felt that way."

"Lena..you are not and you never will intrude on anything. Ever. You are my life baby. You are my life. Without you there is no me. Without you I could have never done this. Ever. You're the one that supports me like no one else in this world, you're the one who has always believed in me and stood by me. You're the one that puts up with my shit. You my love. You. I can't do any of this without you baby. None." She said gently stroking Lena's face as the brunette let out a soft smile.

"Lena..I Love you. I love you so deeply it's...it's crazy. It's the deepest it gets honey. It really is which is why I'd be a fool not to marry you. I've been a fool to wait this long. And Callie loves you. She loves you so much honey."

"I love her too. I really do Stef. She's stolen my heart." the slim woman admitted.

"Yeah that little girl has that effect on people."she laughed. "To be honest..I don't know why I didn't think to ask you if you wanted to adopt her along with me. I ..

"Love no..we weren't sure when we were getting married and moving in together and it was just so much going on. I don't blame you. I should have spoken up."

"Well..is there anything else that you want to tell me while we are talking honey? Please." she inquired as a smiled remained on her face.

"No..no honey that's all." Lena lied as she...she shyed away from mentioning the baby part. She just wasn't sure..she wasn't and thought she might bring it up at a later time. Maybe after the wedding, or after Callie's adoption. Maybe that would be a better time.

"You sure sweetheart?" the blonde continued to stroke Lena's upper arm as they both remained naked.

"I'm sure baby. I am." slowly she leaned in kissing the blondes soft lips.

"So you're gonna wear a dress?" Lena smiled changing the topic. But Stef knew her all to well being fully aware she had other things on her mind. She was pretty sure of this.

"Babe be honest. Please love."

"Honey...there is nothing else. Ok? So tell me will you be wearing a dress love." she said convincingly but the blonde didn't buy it. However judging by Lena's response she decided not to press to hard at this moment.

"MM no way. I'm sure I could find some white dressy pants and a shirt. I just...I wouldn't feel comfortable in a dress. You know I hate them on me anyway."

"If it was up to you, you might wear you're uniform. And then Callie would wear the same." the slim woman joked.

"Hey great minds think alike babe. But...I don't know.. when do you think we should tell Cals babe?" the blonde questioned as Lena once again melted into her arms and Stef herself rubbed her back once again.

"You know she asked me a few weeks ago if we were getting married soon?" Lena admitted.

"She did?" Stef moved her head instantly to look down at Lena who lifted her head up to catch Stef's eyes.

"Yeah...she was worried we weren't because of her. That she was somehow stopping us. Which of course I told her she most certainly was not. I never saw it like that ever."

"Goodness...what did you tell her?"

"I told her it had nothing to do with her babe. That you and I had a lot of things to figure out first. Which was and is true."

"Our poor baby...she just always thinks she's the reason for something. For something terrible."

"I know it's terrible. Hopefully with time...she will break out of it but it might be something she always struggles with." Lena said sadly.

"I know. I know babe."

"But I think we can help her with it. We just have to constantly reassure her and make sure she always communicates her feelings with her."

"You know love, this is one of the reasons I know she will be proud to have you as her mother. You are amazing in so many ways, understanding and just supportive, and optimistic. You help her in ways I don't know how baby."

"And you help her in ways I don't know how love. She's very proud to call you her mama." Lena smiled as she once again looked up into the cops face.

"And she's proud to call you mom love." the blonde gently moved a curl from Lena's face as she could only smile warmly at her.

"Stef...and for the record I don't care what you wear to our wedding...I'd marry you if you wore a brown paper bag. To me you would still be the most beautiful woman alive."

Upon hearing this Stef herself could feel tears form in her eyes for she was truly blessed to have this woman in her life. A woman she knew loved her more then anything. That meant the world to her for she had searched long and hard for someone just like her.

"I love you Lena. I love you so much baby." Pulling her in once again they passionately shared another kiss making love once again throughout the remainder of the night and early morning hours.

* * *

As Callie Stefanie Marie slowly opened her eyes she realized something very different. Something very different for she almost didn't recognize her surroundings until she fully opened her eyes even wider looking around. Then she realized...she realized she was in her own room. That had been one of the most unusual things for her as she slept literally almost glued to her mother every night for the past few months despite the blonde who encouraged the young girl to sleep alone. Callie tried, she had tried on many occasions but would soon find her way to her mother's bed for it eased her worries, her nightmares and her panic. Nonetheless she could only assume she was so exhausted from the previous weeks, and the fun night they all had last night for the reason of finally sleeping through the night in her own bed. Last thing she remembered was passing out in the back of her mother's SUV on the way home from the movies but to be honest she couldn't even remember what they had watched as she looked to her nightstand seeing it was barely 9am. The teen could soon feel the hunger pains begin to grow as she slowly trickled out of her soft warm bed. As she made her way out of room she headed to the bathroom,quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face a bit. Not fully awake yet she rubbed her eyes and walked into the hallway suddenly surprised to see her mother's door closed. That was surly usual for she always kept it open. Just as she was about to open it she heard at knock at the front door. Deciding it was probably best to see who it was even if it was unusual for them to have visitors at this time she made her way to the front door. Looking through the peep hole she saw a nicely dressed dark skin woman on the other end of it and instantly recognized her. It was Lena's mom. The teen wasn't even sure if Lean's mom knew who she was but unlocked the door anyway, and as she opened it she was greeted with a warm smile.

"You must be Callie." the woman expressed happily as she leaned in to hug the young teen which shocked the girl but she hugged her back.

"I am. And your Mrs. Adams?"

"Oh please call me Gran honey. No Mrs. Adams here love." she said as Callie smiled widely at her a smile Dana reciprocated.

"Come in." the teen gestured.

"Thank you, thank you my dear. I know I am showing up unannounced but I had to meet the little girl that has stolen my daughters heart..and her girlfriends heart." Dana looked over Callie warmly as a smile continue to remain on her face.

"Aren't you just a doll. Just the sweetest thing."

"It's nice to meet you."

"And its a pleasure. It really is Callie. I have heard so many many good things about you honey. I hear your some photographer."

"Well..I try."

"I'm sure you are wonderful honey."

"Do you want to sit? I can go get mama."

Dana smiled upon hearing the term Callie used.

"That would be wonderful my dear. I stopped by my daughters but she wasn't home. Even rang her cell. I guess shes out." Dana expressed as she took it upon herself to notice all the photos and things hanging up as she sat on the soft brown couch. Stef's apartment had surly changed from the last time she had visited. It was decorated for one and nicely. Dana wasn't one to pass judgement but in her eyes she couldn't help but notice how the blonde had not been much of a homemaker but she could clearly see Lena written all over this place now. It was nice and engendering as she pulled Stef's uniform shirt out from under her that she had sat on. Goodness she could only imagine what went on last night between the two women.

As the young and somewhat innocent teen made her way into Stef's room she barged in without thinking much.

"Mama the door it's.." it was then the teen saw...saw something she was not supposed to as prior to Callie busting in the two women had been completely oblivious to anything as Stef was seen on top of Lena completely naked.

"Oh my god. Oh my...I'm so sorry..I'm sorry." The young girl said utterly shocked and completely mortified as she placed her hand over her eyes and ran out the room as fast as she could.

"Fuck." the blonde said quickly sliding off of Lena. "Fuck, Fuck Fuck."

"I thought you locked the door honey." Lena got up off the bed as she threw on some of Stef's clothes that had been thrown on the chair.

"I did but when I went to pee I think I forgot to lock it. Shit." she threw her hoodie on over her naked chest and flannel pants as fast as she could as she looked over to see Lena laugh.

"What..what this is not funny. We just scarred our daughter for life. How can you be laughing Lena?"

"Yeah, we did but hey it could have been worse babe. At least your head wasn't between my legs." she shook her head while chuckling. If she didn't laugh she might take it too seriously and never be able to look the young girl in the face again.

"Oh..no she only saw me riding you. Good lord."

"Relax love... I walked in on my parents once. I think every kid does at least once and no one has died from it." Lena admitted as the cop stood looking at her horrified.

"Ok, miss easy going since we are "moms" now I'm not doing this one alone. No way. And since you're so comfortable you can start this conversation off with her."

"Fine love. I will." Lena smiled as the two exited the room. But when they entered the living room looking completely and utterly disheveled what they saw was not what they thought they would for Callie was nowhere in site. But instead there as big as day stood Lena's mom. Dana Adams. The curly haired woman's eye bugged out as she swallowed hard and her face was completely flustered. She couldn't remember for the life of her when she felt so awkward as Dana smiled at the two women. This day would certainty be interesting to say the least as Stef swallowed the lump in her throat.


	40. Oh What A Morning II

**I all! I'm writing as fast I can. LOL I am bombed with work this weekend, and relatives visiting but I will try to sneak another chapter in. Next chapter will be the talk with Cal/Stef.**

 **Thanks loves!-Stef1981**

LENA POV

"Mom...what...what are you doing here?" I asked completely and totally puzzled as nothing but embarrassment and total shock filled my body. It wasn't that I felt like I was in trouble, not in the least for Stef and I were very much grown adults, we most certainly were but I just couldn't help but feel like we were a couple of horny teenagers that had gotten caught red handed making out for the first time. In all honesty that's was how I was truly feeling as my eyes could only glare at my mother with nothing but irritation. I'm not sure why this surprised me that she even showed up, because this was really just like her. This was so typical for her to just appear when she felt like my life was out of control, or if she didn't trust me to handle it or take care of it. Yes, yes I take full responsibility on my part for calling her, but I had just wanted to..to vent a little, to get some of my concerns and worries out a little. I should have known better I really should have once she had mentioned the idea of coming to visit. I knew she couldn't leave well enough alone. It was one thing for my mother to show up at my place unannounced but to show up here...goodness she just had a lot of nerve. The last time she did this was when I threatened to break up with Stef almost 9 months ago. She for some reason liked to take it upon her self to be our therapist.

"You didn't tell me your mom was coming." Stef whispered to me quietly enough for only both of us to hear.

"I didn't know Stef." I said under my breath.

"Well what a way to welcome your dear old mother. I certainly didn't teach you such horrible manners." My mother said holding her arms wide open as she walked gracefully over to us soon engulfing both Stef and I in a suffocating hug.

"Mom...

"Stef it's so nice to see you honey. I can see motherhood has most certainty changed you. Look how beautiful you are and just gradient." she placed both her hands on my partners cheeks as I could see Stef was now blushing.

"It's nice to see you too Dana."

"And Lena...you look wonderful as well. A little on the skinny side..." she said as her eyes looked me over in a somewhat disapproving stare.

"Mom..I just...I didn't expect you...to show up..like this...show up unannounced that is." I said ignoring her irritating comment about my weight.

"Well.. I'm sure you didn't expect me to show up...that's what makes it a surprise honey...And um is everything ok with Callie? She was fine when she greeted me at the door but once she came back from your room she took off like she'd seen a ghost. Poor thing ran right past me."

"Shit." Stef whispered as I looked over and could not only see the panic but feel it as it continued to consume her as well as me. The last thing we needed was for Callie to run off again and spend hours looking for her. She was just now starting to get even more comfortable with us and we knew her walking in on us might cause a mild setback. I wasn't horribly worried as long as we spoke to her it should be fine but I knew my partner was.

"Yeah...she um...if ya'll excuse me I should probably go talk to her."

"Of course honey. I presume she's close by."

"Babe, I'll come with you...we agreed..." I placed my hand on Stef's arm as I could clearly see my mother was trying to ascertain what was going on as she had now taken it upon herself to observe the pictures hanging on the fireplace mantle as Stef and I spoke quietly.

"It's fine love talk to your mom. I got it babe."she said unconvincingly.

"Oh, I don't need to be entertained my dears. Go do what you both need to do. Don't mind me at all."

With that statement I could only roll my eyes. Yeah don't mind her.

"It's fine Stef...I want to do this together..."

"Love, believe me, as much as I wish this wasn't the case I think this will require more then one conversation which you can gladly handle the second time. Trust me because I don't want to do this twice." she joked as I could only let out a sigh of frustration.

"Babe it's ok my love. I got it."

"You...know where she is?" I swallowed hard.

"Yeah..probably by the pool. I'm sure she will be ok. She might not wanna look at us for the next 100 years though."

I let out a sigh as I looked to my mother again completely annoyed.

"Well be right up. Ok babe?" she coxed as she herself placed her hand on my face gently rubbing it.

"Alright...just hurry. I want to talk to Callie too." I whispered.

"Ok baby. Let me go after her before she really bails." she pecked my cheek as I let out another frustrated sigh watching her close the door behind her. Glancing back over to my mother I walked over by the couch and took a seat.

"Is Callie really ok? Did something happen?" my mother questioned as she wiped her skirt down.

"It's fine mom. Just..

"Didn't look like it. Poor girls face. She ran passed me like the wind I mean...

"She walked in on me and Stef having sex mom. Ok?" I blurted out as I placed my hand on my forehead feeling a strong migraine coming on.

"Happy now? I mean is that what you wanted to hear? Is it?"

"Oh dear. Of course that's not what I wanted to hear...but..Well...judging by the look of this place I thought or presumed you lived here. I didn't want to assume...But it looks quit different then before."

"Mom..why didn't you call?" I said ignoring her offensive comment.

"We spoke yesterday and I was waiting for you to call me. You sounded so stressed out. Like you needed me." she gently touched the soft curl that was hanging in my face and placed it behind my ear.

"Are you sure you're eating enough? I mean you're not on one of those crazy detox body cleanses are you? I keep telling you those aren't good.." I could only shake my head for the headache I had was only continuing to grow more and more.

"Mom...you didn't even give me a chance to call you back...and you can't just show up unannounced like this. It's rude. I mean do you not have any boundaries or is my life just wide open for you?" I knew this was coming out much harsher then I intended but...but I just couldn't hold my annoyance or anger in much longer. This...this was ridiculous.

"Lena, if I hear that my daughter needs me I will show up. That is what a mother does and of course I respect your boundaries...but..honey.."

"I didn't need you mom. I didn't need you and I didn't ask you to come. I told you I would call you and let you know. I told you I was fine and I don't...I just don't understand why you couldn't accept that.

"Lena.."

"Unless there was another reason you showed up."

"Are you implying that I have ulterior motives? Why can't it be that I just wanted to see you, and Stef and to meet Callie who is going to be my grandchild I presume."

"Because it's never that simple with you mom. Never is. Unless things have changed." I continued to speak in a frustrated tone.

"Lena...I care about you and I just needed to see...needed to see that everything was ok here. Is that so wrong of me." she placed her hand on my thigh as all I could do was shake my head. It wasn't that my mother didn't care, I knew she cared but she...she meddled too much and could be extremely invasive and at almost 40...I just...

"Mom when are you going to trust me? Or believe me that I can handle my life? I mean you honestly never eve believe I can take care of my issues."

"Lena..that isn't true. I just came to give you a little push. A little nudge. Honey is that so wrong of me? I just want you to have the life you deserve and the life you know you deserve." Her voice remained soft and gentle but to me it felt...it felt condescending.

"I have always been supportive of you. Always from the time you were born. Did I ever give you a hard time about being a lesbian. Never,ever. Neither me or your father. Did we support what you wanted to do with your life? Did we support what college you wanted to attend? From day one honey...from day one...because we love you and care about you and if we had given you a hard time, or been supportive. How would that have made your life any easier. How? " I felt her gently place her hand on top of mine as I knew what she had said was very much true. It was.

"Mom..I am grateful to you and dad. I always have been. Really I have but.. you have to realize that...that things you have taught me and showed me..that I Have taken those things with me as an adult. I have. I have watched you mom, I have watched daddy and you were amazing parents, and an amazing couple. Can't you just trust that I Have learned from everytihing you have taught me. Can't you?

"Lena I do trust that honey...I very much do but..

"But you just ..you just have to continue to control my life?"

"Lena...that;s not what I'm trying to do. It's not."

Getting up from the couch and stood in front of the fire place looking at the photos of me, Stef and Callie that happily decorated it. I knew adopting Callie would be a big change for me and for Stef, and Callie. I knew me even us getting married would be an even bigger adjustment for Callie for she was so use to it just being her and Stef. I knew that..I knew that very well and..even if that was the case I wanted and needed her ot know that I loved her just as much..just as much as my partner did. I had a feeling she knew that, I did but I wanted to make sure I was..that I was a good parent to her. That I didn't control her, or suffocate her or..make her unhappy. Sure I had learned a hell of a lot getting my PHD in child psychology but when it was your own kid it was very very different. Maybe I didn't understand my mother, maybe I really didn't even if I was trying to. I Really was but..she could just really infuriate me.

"Mom..You didn't give me a chance. You didn't give me a chance to even really talk to Stef..and to ...and to do it in my own time. In my own time. Not in your time or how you think it should it."

"I just...I just want you to stop trying to control me and my life." I said facing her as she remained seated on the couch almost looking shocked at my outburst. I guess I was really known for them for when I had had enough I would explode.

"Honey, honey calm down..I didn't come here to make you angry..I..

"Then how did you think you would make me feel by just showing up? How do you think you would make Stef feel. Let us solve our own issues. Let us solve our own problems. I'm not...I'm not a little girl mom. I'm a woman. I'm a grown woman who...who will be Callie' s mother soon. Who will be Lena Adams Foster soon. Who will..who will have a baby with Stef soon! Do you get that mom?"

I looked right into her eyes as she looked surprised into mine but..as I was screaming at her...I had no idea that my partner had walked back into the apartment as...as I froze for I wasn't sure ...I wasn't sure what she had heard. I really wasn't. But I soon..soon felt her walk close to me

"So you want a baby?" she asked as I swallowed hard looking to her as her eyes had softened as well as Callie's who stood next to her wide eyed.

* * *

STEF POV

Well this was certainly turning into a morning that was way more interesting then I had ever intended it to be as I closed the door of my apartment behind me leaving Lena to talk to Dana on her own. I knew, well both of us knew she had a habit of showing up when she thought we were in trouble but..I didn't think we were. Unless there was something my soon to be wife was keeping from me which even if that was hard to admit unfortunately was not out of character for her. Regardless I'd have to address that soon as I found and spoke to my traumatized daughter as I was hoping she was hiding out in her usual place by the swimming pool. Since she was grounded still for another month and half and as hard as it was for me, part of her punishment was she couldn't go to the beach. That had not been an easy choice for me to make, not at all for I knew it was something she loved, but as her parent I had do what I felt needed to be done. But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hard for me, that it wasn't hard for me to ground her and to hand out consequences for I knew she never had proper discipline, or one in a non harmful manner. Mainly she was disciplined for just being her, for being a kid, but in all honestly it wasn't discipline she ever experienced it was abuse. Dunking her feet in the pool had been a comprise but swimming was not allowed so it was my only guess that she was there.

As I slowly and hesitantly walked down the front apartment stairs I turned the corner to the backyard of my complex and let out a sigh of relief as I instantly noticed Callie with her back turned to me and her feet as I predicated dunked in the water. My breathing now increased and I had a case of mild anxiety. I had no idea what to say, not at all and I could curse Dana right now for showing up as I needed Lena for this. Even if I had convinced her that I could handle it alone, or maybe I had been convincing myself more. Swallowing hard I started to walk closer to my daughter but stopped once again as I took all but two steps. This was going to be way more awkward then I anticipate. But...I knew Callie and I needed to have the sex talk anyway. Not about my sex life god no, but ...as hard as it was to imagine her sex life. Each time Lena and I had gently touched on it with her she had changed the subject, or left the room claiming she had more homework to do, or insisting she already knew it all. Which I knew she didn't. But truth was I didn't know much about Callie's past sexual experiences, if any and I couldn't help but feel maybe she was struggling with something that might have happened to her. I was hoping nothing had but I just couldn't be sure. From where I was standing I could clearly see Callie was deep in her own thoughts as she had failed to look up once with her eyes completely fixated on the water. Maybe she was zoning out or maybe she was thinking how she would look me and Lena in the eyes again. But she could..it was only an accident which I was at fault for not locking the door. Just as I was about to take another step...I chickened out again as..I just didn't know how to open this up. I wasn't always...well the most open..yes I had come along way but not as open as...goodness I could only shake my head and laugh. Not as open as my own mother who just said whatever was on her mind. Maybe...maybe I could call her and see..see what she would say or suggest. The thought was funny to me as just a few weeks ago I wanted nothing to do with her, nothing at all but after everything that had went on with Callie the past few weeks, and us getting to talk we had mended a few of our own broken ties in the process and slowly the trust was starting to build. Yes ironic and if you had told me 2 months ago that I would be calling my mother for advice I would have told you to fuck off I really would have as I took out my cell and dialed her number. Maybe she wouldn't pick up or maybe...but on the second ring she did.

"Stefanie?" I heard her shout over the loud background noise.

"Mom...is..is this a bad time?" I stuttered.

"No no certainly not. I'm on my way back to the hotel. Goodness you think with someone being so sick they would be a little bit more grateful. Son of bitch that Frank is. Why did I expect that asshole to change." she blurted out as I had yet to tell her of my decision to see him.

"Mom you're not suppose to drive and talk on the cell. That's a 200 dollar ticket. I'll call back."

"No no..I stopped at Wendy's for a frosty. I need something after that nightmare. But is everything ok? Is Callie ok? Tell her I'm sorry I had to borrow my phone back. She can have it back tonight for sure." she said sounding sincere and panicked.

"No,no, mom I'm not calling about that...I just um.." I said pacing back and forth as Callie remained fully in my site.

"I um.."

"What's wrong baby? Talk to me."

I remained silent unable to really say what I wanted. Why was I struggling.

"Stefanie...did something happen? Are you and Lena..."

"Callie walked in on me and Lena this morning." I heard myself say as I shut my eyes faster then ever.

"Oh. That's it?"

"What...what do you mean is that it?. She walked in and saw me ...well..you know."

"Saw you having sex?

"Mom...

"Honey...you walked in on me and your father." Sharon laughed.

"What? No..no I didn't."I insisted.

"Oh you did. A mother doesn't forget that. Your face was classic ..you just stood there frozen." she laughed.

"Mom..you must have me confused with someone else because I recall no such thing. Ever."

"No way my dear. That was you... I think you were like nine or something. Just barged right on in while I was riding your..

"Oh god mom please. Please! Please stop." I held my hand up to my face as my eyes remained closed from embarrassment. Why..why did I call her again.

"Relax baby. I reassured you it was only an accident and that we were just you know engaging in adult activities. From what I recall you weren't too open to talk much about it. You hid for a week almost. I mean I can laugh about it now."

I let out a loud sigh.

"Mother...this..

"Yes I know isn't helping. Look..as Callie's mother ya gonna have to get into this stuff babe. I don't mean your sex life but she's not dumb. She knows the birds and the bees. Just be open and don't push her. She might feel weird for a few days but she will relax and go right back to normal. Believe me honey. Course she probably won't get the visual out of her brain..but ya know..

"I get it mom. I get it."

"Stefanie don't doubt yourself. You are a very good parent. But get a lock." she chuckled as I let out a sigh.

"Yeah thanks mom." I shook my head at her humor.

"Honey shit happens. I walked in on my parents too. Horrifying. But talk about it..move on."

"Yeah...no you're right."

"Everything else ok honey? How is Callie otherwise besides being completely traumatized. How is my grand-baby?"

I could only smile at her comment and question.

"Mom um...Lena and I are getting married this month." I hadn't really planned on telling her over the phone but It had just come out.

"Oh my stars! Well that now is just...that is just the best news I have heard in the longest time. I'm so happy for you both. I really am baby."

"And..Lena is going to adopt Callie with me. So we'll all be Adams Fosters." I smiled widely.

"I am ...I am just so happy for you all. I really am. I just...Callie must be soo happy."

"I think. I think she is mama. I think she is." I said uttering a word I had not said since I was seven as I looked once again to my little girl who was still dangling her feet in the water.

"That's what matters honey. That's what matters in life."

"Mom...I ..I want you to be there. Say you will come."

It was then I heard sniffling on the other end as my mother had remained silent for well over a few seconds.

"Look I know you and I have our issues to still deal with and ...but I want you in our lives mom. I do. Callie loves you, and..." I trailed off as I was trying to say the words that I needed to say. But maybe at this moment I wasn't 100 percent ready to tell her how much I did love her and miss her. That I was happy that we were rebuilding our relationship.

"Babygirl I wouldn't miss it for the world. I really wouldn't..and I love you too. I love you too my little girl." she spoke as she must have known what I was trying to say.

"Now stop making me all emotional and go on and talk to you daughter... and I'll see you later and I will give you a big hug."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world mom."

As I hung up with my mother I placed my phone back in the pocket of my hoodie as Callie must have felt my presence and I saw her glance over to me but quickly divert her eyes to the water. It was now or never as I had to suck it up and be her mama. The hard stuff was part of it to as I was slowly learning.


	41. Ruined

**Hi all! Sorry this took so long...it was like pulling teeth! I kept going back and forth. But here it is. Thanks for your patience!**

CALLIE POV

How...how could I?...if I open my eyes I'll have to face reality. ..that...that was probably one of the most awkward moments in my life I thought to myself as I swung my feet in the pool water back and forth. I knew I had been rude running past Lena's mom and ignoring her when she had called my name... But I could'n't...I had to run. Maybe it was partly funny? I don't know probably not. But when I saw the door closed I should have knocked. Definitely. But Lena ...she had never stayed in mama's room before so I guess I figured she wasn't in there...but still..I should have knocked. I should have and.. My mind was just rambeling with words over and over again at a thousand miles a minute. I wanted to shut my brain off. I wanted to erase the morning...I wanted to erase it all. How the heck was I going to look at mama and Lena again? How...how was I going to face them? Maybe I didn't have to look at them..maybe I could keep my eyes on the ground like I use to and avoid them. Maybe that would work...but probably only up until a point because I knew Stef would never let that slide. Neither her or Lena for they were big on communication to the point where they talked your feelings to death. I mean I didn't always mind it, in fact I appreciated it most of the time for I grew up never being able to tell anyone a thing. This was the exact opposite in more ways then one. As I continued to swirl my feet in the pool water I was wondering and anticipating mama coming to look for me. I knew she would any minute as I was still trying so hard to erase the morning out of my head. Part of me wanted to run...run far far away..but why? I mean was it only that I just walked in on them having sex or...was it more then that. Of course it was more then that. It was always more then that with me which I was slowly learning in therapy. These issues I had...that surfaced from time to time that seemed irrelevant that seemed small were actually connected to much deeper issues. Issues no one ever addressed, and issues that laid dormant and I knew it was one of the reasons I blew up at Stef sometimes. Her love still confused me as I could now hear her voice faintly in the background as I looked up seeing her walking toward me. Quickly looking away and dodging her eyeballs I wanted so badly to melt into the cement or turn into water. Yup...being invisible sounded like an awesome alternative compared to this awkward conversation that was looming.

My stomach by this time was doing cartwheels. It was killing me as I could only fixate on the pool water in front of me somehow wishing, and hoping by some miracle of god that Stef didn't see me. But I knew that was a longshot for I felt her slowly sit down next to me and dip her feet in the water as well. I dared not to look at her. I dared not for my eyes just...they just couldn't do it and they lacked the courage. I possibly wanted to say something...I did as I felt the words on my tongue...but I felt other fears soon being to resurface. Old fears...fears that...I don't know what is wrong with me, I don't know actually and I just...I bet they..I just can't help but feel like they will and regret there choice to adopt me. Why wouldn't they. Maybe...maybe I will just leave...they could forget about me..couldn't they? I could..I could try to find another place to go...I could I thought to myself as I felt Stef move closer to me a few moments later as the silence remained between us. She was mad. She had to be mad and she came down to tell me she was kicking me out. That she had enough of..enough of giving up her life to me, enough of the sacrifices, that she realized it wasn't going to work out. This is why she came down as I continued to mistake her silence for anger. Until she spoke.

"Hey love." Ironically to my surprise her voice was soft.

"That was pretty awkward huh?" she continued as she swung her feet in the water while I remained silent as I wasn't really sure what to say. So i just nodded my head.

"Yeah..I know it was babe. You know Cals..mama is.."

"I'm sorry I'm messing up your relationship with Lena. You..you don't have to adopt me...I can leave.." I blurted out cutting her off before she could even tell me to leave. I had to stop it...stop her from saying it because I didn't know how I would handle it. This life...this life wasn't mine to have. It wasn't as I was now looked directly into her eyes as she seemed somewhat taken aback by my words. But why would she be..isn't this what she came down to tell me herself.

"What? Callie what are you talking about honey? You...you.. aren't messing up anything and we most certainty want to adopt you sweetheart...why..would you think either of those things baby?" Her tone was soft but held a hint of confusion.

I put my head down as I was partly now regretting what I just said as all I could do was shrug my shoulders at her question. Truth was I didn't...I didn't want to explain any of this.

"Because you walked in on us sweets?" Stef asked leaning in closer to me but again I shrugged my shoulders as my feet made circles in the pool water. It was really the only thing I could focus on.

"Love please look at me. I know your feeling embarrassed but please. I want to see those eyes my sweet girl."

Hesitantly my eyes moved to look into hers as I could see that they were partly filled with pain and worry as she slid her hand into mine.

"Babygirl it was an accident honey. That's all. And I take full blame. Believe me. It was my responsibility to lock the door. I should have done that..and I was careless. I mean...I don't think your mama always has the best judgement and I apologize for...for making you feel uncomfortable...but...it doesn't in anyway mean that you are messing up me and Lena's...I mean me and your moms relationship or that we don't want to adopt you. That is a thought that would never ever cross our minds no matter what happened Cals."

Our eyes remained locked as I still remained silent.

"Cals?" I knew she wanted an answer. But...Stef..maybe she just didn't understand. She would see...she would see how more messed up I was. She would.

"Love, what are you thinking. It must be more then you are letting on. Or that you are wanting to admit."

I didn't know how to answer this...I didn't want to answer this. Not at all and I didn't want to talk anymore.

"Stef, I don't.. I just don't feel like talking. ok?"

"Stef huh?" she reiterated.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry...I..I should have knocked. It won't happen again."

"Callie look at me. Please."

Once again my eyes found her face as she looked even more concerned then before. I knew and so did she that it was very usual for me to call her by her first name. We both knew it and it had been weeks since I had said it for it seemed that once I started to call her mama I never stopped. I hadn't wanted to stop since I first let it slip in the ambulance.

"You're going to have to talk to me love. You know very well as I do how we operate. No secrets and no avoidance. What's going on honey?" Her hand gently touching the side of my face as she held my cheek in her palm. I hated this. I hated how she always got in my head. Always as much as I tried so hard to block her. I was really trying hard and fought the tears that were swelling up in my eyes. I was fighting them harder then ever. Don't cry Callie. Don't. Believe that nothing is wrong. Believe it.

"Nothing." I lied again as I heard her let out a sigh and her eyes continued to pierce mine.

"Callie, I know very well that is not true. What are you afraid of honey?" Stef pushed.

"I'm not. I'm not afraid of anything... I just...I just I'm sorry for walking in on you guys having sex...and invading your privacy...I should have knocked and it wont happen again." I repeated.

"Honey we aren't talking about the same thing here. It's not just about you walking in on us. I know it. So we can sit here all night and all day until you admit what it is to me."

"Stef, why do you always think it's something else?"

"Well for one you keep calling me Stef. And because honey it usually is more then one thing. I know that and it's ok if that's the case honey. I mean usually with anyone it's not just one thing it's a combination. Things have a way of coming together."

"So are you saying I always have all these problems?"

"Callie, you know that is not what I was saying. You know that baby..you.."

"I don't need you!" I said angrily as I stood up more quickly then ever wanting more then anything just to run away. I don't know why I got so angry at her at this moment. I don't..or maybe I was getting angry at her on purpose as I felt her quickly get up and grab my arm pulling me toward her.

"Callie...don't run...don't. You and I made a promise you wouldn't run...and..

"You think you're the only person that ever wanted to adopt me? Do you? Do you think that? Well you aren't! You aren't ok! I...I don't know why I ..did this to myself. I don't...because I've messed things up. That's what I do! That's all I ever ever do is mess things up for...for myself and for everyone...it never works out for me. Ok? It doesn't! And you aren't any different Stef! You aren't! Your're gonna see how...your gonna see how messed up I am..your'e gonna see what a damaged foster kid I am..and how I ruin everything!...How I keep ruining your life and Lena's and I just...just leave me alone and...

I didn't get to finish for she pulled me in. She pulled me in for a hug so hard that it was impossible for me to break free from it.

"I don't want you hugging me! Don't!" I yelled as I tried...I tried so hard...harder then ever as she wouldn't let me go for anything just as she had not on the day I broke down at the beach.

"I'm not letting go baby. I'm not. You can yell at me all you want. Just let it out. Let it out. I know you have so much more pain in there that I know nothing about honey. I know you carry it deep. Deep in your heart. I know you do my love and I wish more then anything I could take it for you. I know about your other adoption. I know about that family that left you without saying a word. I know you think you mess up everything that you ruin peoples lives. But I will tell you over and over again. Not one day did I ever feel like you have messed up my life. Not once. And not one moment did I ever have doubts about adopting you. Neither me or Lena. If we could we would go to the court house today and get you adopted as fast as we could. Believe me."

My heart was racing fast as I continued to soak up the words she spoke to me. It was so hard not to feel anything. It was so hard as I had stopped fighting and looked into her eyes.

"Callie...that family that..that chose not to adopt you..it's there lose but my gain baby. Do you realize that? I mean I know it hurts that they betrayed you with not saying a word but...I can't imagine not being your mother. I can't ..I can't imagine waking up to no teenage challenges or angst or backtalk. I mean what would I do with my life?" she laughed as I let out a small smile.

"I know its scary. I know you still question me, I know you still question Lena and you might always. But honey, you are going to have to start to trust us a little more. That we wont just leave you because of mistakes, or accidents. I mess up everyday myself. I mean hello take this morning for example. That was an example of poor parenting." She chuckled as she rolled her eyes at herself.

"No..you're not a poor parent...I guess you got um caught up in the moment or..whatever." I shockingly found myself saying even if I was trying so hard not to have those images pop back up in my head. Stef herself blushed.

"Yeah um...maybe...

"I didn't see anything." I blurted out once again even if that had been a lie.

"Oh..you sure about that?" I heard her laugh awkwardly as I looked completely and utterly horrified at her.

"Babe..sex is...

"Whoa..whoa." I held my hands up hoping it would stop her and end this terrible and horrible conversation.

"Mama..I don't need to ...I don't need anymore visuals. Please I get it. You and Lena have sex obviously but I don't ..I don't need to know. I just don't. If she stays over just lock the door please.

"Sweets I wasn't going to talk about me and Lena...just you know sex is..it's not this horrible thing or this horribly embarrassing thing it's a beautiful thing. Of course walking in on your parents is a whole other issue and can scar you for life but..in terms of your own sex life which I don't ever know if I'll ever be fully prepared to talk to you about...it...

I let out a loud sigh as I blew air through my mouth as she just kept going. God I'd give anything for her to stop talking. Anything.

"Mama I don't even have a boyfriend. I told you I'm not having sex right now."

"Mama? Don't you mean Stef?" she said sarcastically letting out a grin as I rolled my eyes as she placed both of her hands on my cheeks looking firmly into my eyes.

"Sweets...listen...I want you to know and really know how sorry I am about what happened to you with that other family that decided not to adopt you. But what I need you to know..I need you to know that.. that is not me. That is not Lena and we aren't changing our minds. Ever. We are family, you are our daughter, our little girl, our princess, our baby, no matter what..and you are stuck with both of us. Forever. That..I need you to believe this my love. I need you to believe it more then anything. And I also need you to believe that you are not some damaged foster kid and I will keep telling you that over and over again. You my precious girl are Callie Stefanie Marie. Got it?" she said letting out a wink and my mind flashed back to the first day I met her outside the school. To the first time she had called me Cals in Lena's office and the first time she winked at me as I could only swallow hard and listen to the sincerity in her voice. Stef had been sincere from day one and it ..it was hard that I still found it so difficult to fully trust her. To trust this life.

"Trust me a little more each day. Trust this life a little more each day. Ok love?"

I nodded.

"Say it. I want to hear you baby."

"Yes. I will try."

"Mama loves you. She loves you so much honey. More then you could ever ever imagine." she said placing repeated kisses on my forehead as I smiled softly at the feel of them. Hers were the only one's I ever knew. No one ever kissed me like she had or hugged me like she had. Ever.

"I love you too mama." I said as we both exchanged smiles with one another and I wrapped my arms around her tightly sniffing her sweatshirt melting into her. I could feel her rubbing my back gently.

"Why don't we head upstairs. Lena and I need to talk to you."

"Oh god. I'm fine though. I really don't need to rehash this morning again. Especially not with both of you. How much more embarrassed can I get?" I pleaded not wanting to do this conversation all over again.

"Sorry love..and it looks like we have a lot more to talk about then just this morning."

I let out a loud sigh as mama took my hand and we walked slowly back up to our apartment. I had almost forgotten about Lena's mom until we walked in hearing Lena yelling which wasn't typical for her.

"Then how did you think you would make me feel by just showing up? How do you think you would make Stef feel. Let us solve our own issues. Let us solve our own problems. I'm not...I'm not a little girl mom. I'm a woman. I'm a grown woman who...who will be Callie' s mother soon. Who will be Lena Adams Foster soon. Who will..who will have a baby with Stef soon! Do you get that mom?"

Whoa..a baby? Lena was pregnant? But...I thought...and wait..Adams Foster soon? Where here and mama getting married soon..what was going on I thought looking surprised as she turned around to look at both of us completely shocked. I guess judging by the look she gave us we weren't suppose to hear that..or I wasn't.

"So you want a baby?" Mama asked.

I guess we would really be talking about a lot more then this morning for it seemed like I wasn't the only person who had things going on.


	42. Before You

**Hi all! Hope you enjoy.**

 **Now this is a chapter about Stef's life before she met Lena so it's a look into the past. I might go back in later and do a little editing. But for now here it is!**

 **-Stef1981**

Before Lena Adams and Callie Jacobs came into her life Stefanie Marie Foster had been a different person and had led a completely different life then the one she currently had. The blonde had been a married cop for 20 years in Sacramento seeming perfectly happy on the outside, but internally she was slowly dying more and more each day. The cop had kept pretty much a low profile, not going out much but mainly with her husband occasionally to bars to play pool or grab a few beers. She didn't have many friends maybe one or two women she would talk to or grab a coffee with but nothing substantial for she never really fit in much she thought. Never for she always felt she had to try extra hard to make conversation and when she did it feel flat. In the end it was somewhat ok with her for the more people she let into her life the harder she found it to really control who she was. And she did know who she was. She really did. As she continued to try to play the role of a wife a role she was never ever good at, for she hated the domestic duties that came along with it Stef had been relatively successful for the first few years, even the first fifteen years but she had been lying. She had been failing and she had been cheating herself and Mike. It was true she had always from time to time would catch herself on occasion staring too long and hard at an attractive woman, sometimes smiling too long and secretly indulging in erotic stories while her husband lay asleep next to her in bed. It was still confusing to her but slowly she was learning what the real issue was.

Nonetheless as the years continued to fly by Stefanie's secret began to eat away at her more and more. Sex with Mike continued to remain a horrendous chore as to her he wanted endless amounts of it as she wanted less and less faking her orgasms each and every time. The blonde had thought the possibility of trying again for another baby would cure her. Would cure her craving to be with a woman more and more for maybe it would serve as a distraction. But after her second miscarriage and learning she couldn't conceive that plan had failed. That plan had failed miserably and she tried to find a new one. And fast. Working more hours wasn't much of an option for Mike was her partner and she needed the escape from him...she did but there just wasn't one. Or was there? Was there an escape from this life she didn't want, from this life that did nothing for her, for this life that left her feeling empty and more hopeless the longer she watched it tick by. Thoughts of...thoughts of leaving continued to enter her mind weekly, then daily and soon hourly. Could she? Did she have the courage to pack her things and leave. Leave this 20 year life behind? Leave her husband who had been nothing but good to her despite a few issues they had. Could she? Could she leave it all to find her happiness. She could and the more she though about it, the more she fantasized about it the more she..she could see it happening. But not here. Not in Sacramento as city she hated. She missed the beaches of San Diego, she missed the weather, she missed...well she didn't miss the pain she left behind, not at all but she missed part of the life she had there at one point even if there weren't many. She could start over. She could start over and do it right this time. So she hoped. Maybe she would find someone, maybe she would meet the person she was suppose to be with, maybe this leap of faith and courage was what needed to happen for to her...it was now or never. So she decided. She would do it.

The night she packed her things and left Mike was the freest night of her life ever. Of course she felt guilty, of course she felt horrible for hurting Mike but she couldn't use that as a reason to stay. She couldn't use that as a reason to remain in marriage where she was not happy, where she was miserable, where she...she felt trapped in a life that...that had no meaning to her. A life that felt forced, and life that had her feeling empty and left her feeling miserable. A life that had robbed her of her true self, her true spirit, and a life she just couldn't live anymore. She couldn't continue to pretend, she couldn't continue to fake and she couldn't continue to wear the mask that she wore everyday. The mask that she was a happily married straight woman when in actuality she was a miserably married gay woman. And she knew it. She knew it always...she knew she was gay...and that had been a burden.

"Stef we can get counseling? We can do it I want..I want us to work." Mike pleaded as Stef continued to pack her giant duffel bag. She didn't want to take much, in fact she only wanted to pack a few shirts and jeans. Leaving behind the sun dresses she hated, the skirts she despised, and only taking the jeans, the tank tops and plaid shirts she only occasionally would wear but had loved. Anything of her old self that didn't fit with...with the person she was becoming she would never look at again.

"Mike..it's..it's not you. It's not you at all and not any amount of therapy is going to fix the real issue ok? It just won't."

"Babe..the real issue is my drinking. I Know it is and I know its been a rough couple of years..but I've been going to AA and my meetings and...

Stef could only shake her head as she continued to pack her bag.

"Is there another guy Stef?" Mike said stepping closer to her as she now looked to her husband and let out an awkward laugh.

"Hardly." she joked.

"Ok then what is it. Why...why all of sudden serve me with divorce papers and pack your stuff up. Why...what did I do that we can't fix...what.."

"I'm gay Mike." Stef blurted out as she froze from placing the last few items in her bag. She froze and stared her husband in the eyes. Directly in the eyes as his mouth now hung open. It hung wide open as that was the last thing he ever ever expected to come out of her mouth.

"What?...What...what do you mean your...your..

"Gay. I'm gay."

"I..I don't understand how can you be...be gay. We've been together for over 20 years and .." he placed his hand on his forehead remaining in a state of confusion.

"And I have't been honest with myself. I haven't been honest with you Mike. I'm ..I'm gay and I always have been..and I... I just can't do this anymore. I can't sit here another minute and pretend to be this person I'm not. I can't put on that fake smile, I can't put on these clothes that I hate, I can't continue to play wife, and happy wife, I can't continued to have sex in this bed with you and lie to you, I can't claim to be in this happy marriage and ...I just can't. I can't do it."

As Mike stood there, stood there in utter and total shock he was lost for words. He was lost for anything to say..as his mind remained blank. They remained blanker then they could ever be for he felt like he had gotten punched in the face. Like he had gotten blind sided, but not at the same time for...for deep inside Mike had always suspected it. He has somehow always suspected that his wife in fact was a lesbian even if that was very very hard to admit.

That night as the cop drove down Pacific highway at 2am to her new life she had no damm clue how this was going to turn out. She had no idea...and she would never in a million years think she would ever return to San Diego for the place held so much pain, so much history and so much baggage. Was she nuts? She thought...maybe she was for going to work for the same police prescient her father had really had had been the icing on the cake. She hadn't spoken to him or her mother since she was 18 and she had no intention of rekindling either relationship despite the numerous letters her mother had mailed to her which she had yet to open. But what was she doing? What in the world was she doing? Oh yeah she was living. She was being herself and she didn't give a shit anymore for she was nearly 40 years old now. She was a grown woman and she was determined to live the life she deserved even if it would be a painful road ahead. She might be lonely, she might be afraid, she might be an outcast, but...but she would do it. She would do it just like she had done everything else.

Stopping at a rest stop and sitting on the trunk of her car the blonde had bummed a cigarette from a fellow driver fully realizing she hadn't smoked since she was 20. But her nerves, oh man her nerves had gotten the best of her. They really did as she smoothed back her ponytail admiring the stars that were so bright this particular night. Almost as if they were shinning extra bright for her. Or maybe that was corny. Most likely was but as her mind faded in time she thought of all the years she had let slip away. All the time that was lost that she would never get back ever. Just based off pure fear of admittance, or fear of what others would think even if she was her own worst enemy. All of it was a tough pill for her to swallow that her marriage never amounted to anything, that it had died, and that her dreams of becoming a mother had died along with it. Not that she set out to get married and get pregnant but she had and the miscarriages had left her feeling defeated. Maybe it was a punishment..for lying to her to husband. Maybe...but in all seriousness as she thought back on her life what had she really accomplished besides being a good cop. Nothing...nothing really and it was one of the reasons that lead her to leave. That lead her to stop resisting who she really was. It would take time. It would take time to get comfortable in her skin even at 40. It would take time to fully accept the person she really was but she had to if she wanted to ever meet...meet the person she knew was out there for her. She just had to find her.

Within the first few weeks, well months in San Diego had been hell. Not having much savings she moved into a motel until she could save up enough for a security deposit and last months rent. Her car was on the verge of death and work was the hardest and the most challenging for non of the guys were shy about expressing certain comments toward her. She hadn't said anything to anyone about her sexuality but she must have had a sign on her saying saying, I'm gay. Or who knew maybe she really did look like a dkye. She just accepted it and ignored it the best she could. She also couldn't help but realize how different work was without her soon to be ex husband. She her entire police career had worked with him, or nearby. Now she had to adjust to a new partner almost weekly which only added to the level of exhaustion and anxiety she was feeling about her new life.

Most of her nights were spent alone watching TV, eating take out and drinking beers. She also couldn't help but continue her horrible habit of cigarette smoking and it wasn't hard to see that she was lost. She was beyond lost so she took it upon herself to go out on one or two dates maybe if that. Nothing really panned out for her because she still was finding herself going out with men. Why? Wasn't the whole point of leaving her marriage to become herself. So she should be dating women. What on earth was she doing. Besides being an idiot but she was having a hard time just...just getting this new life started in the way she had wished.

To avoid the endless amounts of alone time she picked up overtime shifts working 80 hours a week most of the time for she couldn't bare going back to her empty motel room. This would help anyway for she could use the money to get a new car and that two bedroom apartment she was eyeing in Mission Beach.

But as luck would have it after living almost a year in San Diego she met Lena Adams and her life was never ever the same. She couldn't for the life of her get the woman out of her mind even if they had only shared one afternoon of coffee together. But..Stef had flirted she had flirted big time with the caramel skin toned woman with the beautiful curls that framed her chocolate face so well. Something..something about her tugged at her heart...and certainly did things to her pussy for the entire time they had coffee that afternoon she could feel..she could feel her wetness form just by staring at Lena's neck and legs. From this point on Stef had never even approached a woman for she just shyed away from it. Even if she was no where near a shy person. She was pretty aggressive and bullhead. Not to mention stubborn and controlling. But this..this woman brought out ...brought out that person that she had locked away and she knew it the minute she saw her freaking out at the register. She had sized her up...her eyes roamed up and down her legs, to her backside, to her chest, her neck and her face and from this moment Stef new this was the woman she had been looking for her entire life. The woman she had been searching for, for even if she didn't know her, even if she didn't know one single thing about her she just...she just knew it was her. It was her other half. But there was a problem...just a small one. Lena was already taken.

Despite that issue it didn't stop the two women from forming a friendship for Lena had called the blonde up asking if she wanted to have coffee again. This was dangerous but Stef liked a little bit of danger. She always had and she knew very well that Lena was forbidden fruit. Oh man did she know but she...she almost didn't care...she really didn't for she continued to flirt with her at the second coffee date smiling more then she should have, winking and just...well just saying things friends usually didn't. In her eyes Lena didn't seem to mind to much and it only lead her to believe that she felt something toward her. Something more then a friendship for the blonde soon started to receive calls form Lena late at night when she claimed she couldn't sleep. The blonde only guessed this was a lie but nonetheless she loved those calls however being fully aware that Lena was faking when she said she couldn't sleep but she..she didn't mind hearing from her in the least as she envisioned laying next to her and..and making love to her. Feeling her body, her soft skin and spreading her legs open. Those thoughts permeated her mind and she found it hard to push away the more she got to know her. The more she got to know her the more she realized she was falling in love. And hard. She couldn't ignore that this was possibly the woman she maybe was meant to have children with, or that she was the one she was supposed to marry. She couldn't shake those feelings and that intuition for anything. She envisioned for the first time possibly enjoying making a home with her, enjoying doing the laundry together, cooking together and being in each others company. That was the real thing...Stef wanted to all those things with her and just be in Lena's presence. Constantly for the curly haired woman made her laugh, she brought out the devious and humorous side of her, not to mention the confidence. When Stef was in her presence she felt more confidence then ever and she enjoyed that as she had been looking for it for years.

And it happened.

Nearly a month after first meeting Lena, Stef found herself in love like she never had been ever in her life for the two women had expressed there true feelings for one another as they spent countless hours making love in the cops bedroom. For the blonde it wasn't just love making, it felt like the first time for her. The first time ever as Lena licked and kissed every single part of her body making her quiver in ways she never had, making her cum and explode like she never had and making her feel urges and fire in her body like she never had. Stef didn't have to fake, she didn't have to pretend, she didn't have to do any of that. She was...she was free, she was herself and she was with the woman she would be with the for the rest of her life for the search had been long, the search had been painful and the search had at times felt impossible and devastating. But the search had been worth it, the search had lead to fulfillment and the search left her feeling content. Her life for the first time had meaning, had understanding and most importantly had happiness.

Little did she know there was one person in the world who was searching and looking for her. Someone who was living a horrible life, someone who was pained since birth, someone who was sad, and someone who needed more then anything, love. And that someone would find her very soon.


	43. Night

***Massive Updates on 7/20/2016***

 **I want to thank all of you for your amazing reviews! It has just been so motivating and you guys are just so amazing.**

 **I also want to thank all of you who have put in your suggestions about what you like to see. I read each and every one of your reviews and suggestions and I try to work all of them in and it helps for sure to know what you guys would like to see happen :) I encourage it!**

 **Thanks again and enjoy!**

 **-Stef1981**

"Well..maybe she wasn't ready to tell you honey?" Sharon said as her and Stef sat completely exhausted in the blondes kitchen sipping on glasses of white wine. The time was now ticking closer to 10pm as it had literally been one hell of day. Neither Stef or Lena had gotten any time alone to discuss the brunette's secret to have a baby, nor a chance to talk with Callie about the wedding plans, and many of the issues the teen was still dealing with for the curl haired woman's time had gotten completely occupied with her mother 's sudden visit. The cop hated, absolutely hated leaving things left unsaid as she anxiously ran her fingers through her short blonde hair.

"Mom...that's a big thing to not tell me. Not to tell me that she wants to have a baby?...I mean..I asked her a million times...a million and one..and..I don't know how she could keep this from me." she whispered angrily. Yes she was somewhat angry at Lena for not telling her. She was if she was honest for there was no excuse. There really wasn't.

"Stefanie..maybe..maybe she didn't know how to tell you. Maybe. I mean you both have had so much going on who could keep up really. I can't even keep up myself." Sharon took another sip of her wine as she placed her feet up on the chair fully trying to relax after the trying and difficult two days she spent with Frank. She had arrived only about ten minutes ago and knew instantly by her daughters face that things were off. More off then when she spoke to her earlier for her babygirl was in a tizzy and felt as if things were slipping from her fingers. Even if it had been decades that they had seen one another Stef had not changed. Not at all for she still had the compulsive need to control any and everything and come to each person's rescue.

"How could she not know how to tell me. What was I gonna do bite her?" she snapped.

"Maybe she's worried you don't want a baby." The red head expressed as the blonde could only look down at her glass pondering her mothers words as she tried to calm her anger. But..as the anger quickly faded she...thought pensively at what Sharon had just uttered. What if this was what Lena was worried about? That the blonde didn't want a baby. I mean did she want a baby was the question she had to really ask herself. Did she or did she see it as a burden, did she see it as another stressor and another added challenge that she wasn't sure she was fully prepared for. Did she see it as something that would take her attention away from Callie who still so desperately required so much of it. And that was the other issue. Callie. How was she responding to this since she had overheard it as well? Would she feel unwanted again or that she was not enough for either her or Lena. This whole thing was just...the timing was just horrible and it gave the cop a headache. But maybe she was being selfish. Maybe she was for Stef couldn't ignore the fact of how patient Lena had been. She had been extremely patient the entire year and she knew the slim woman had been putting aside many of her wants and wishes once Callie had arrived. That had been a big adjustment in their relationship and Stef couldn't help but regard how much Lena had actually been sacrificing. More then she ever realized. Truth was it was possible that Callie would like the idea, maybe she would adjust, maybe Stef herself would adjust and enjoy having a baby around even if she had not one clue about them. That too was a fear. The blonde had never held a baby in her life. Nonetheless she could clearly see that she was possibly the selfish one and the entire situation was giving her a migraine.

"Do you Stefanie?" Sharon questioned as she leaned in closer to her daughter recognizing the doubt written across her face as the cop let out a sigh unsure of how to answer.

"I...I don't know mom. I don't know if I can stretch myself that far for a baby right now...and I know that's horrible to say. It just is." She said shaking her head.

"No it's not horrible it's the truth. The truth hurts honey. It does and sometimes it can so hard to admit."

"Well I can't tell her that mom. I can't tell her I don't...that I ..I don't know. I don't know what I want or don't want. She's done so much for me and for us and for Callie. Always."

"Yes, that may be the case but you can't agree to have a baby out of feeling obligated. That won't ever work and will just lead to more headaches. Having a baby has to be something you both want sweetheart. It does in order for it to work."

"Ok and what if I tell her the truth. Tell her...I..that I don't want a baby...and ..what if I tell her and ...what if she leaves me?"

Stef at this point had not shown this kind of emotion to her mother. This kind of inner fear of loss as she could feel her eyes begin to water. She herself had not even realized it. Had not realized what it would do to her if Lena..if Lena left her. But what if she did? What if she didn't want this baby that she knew the curly haired woman wanted so desperately. What if she...what if she left her to find another woman who would give her everything she wanted regardless. Regardless of anything. Stef had thought of herself one time as that woman. As the woman that could be any and everything for Lena. Giving her the world, giving her love, giving her passion and desire. But what if it turned out that she wasn't that women, what if Lena was seeing it, seeing it for the first time and falling out of love, or would fall out of love.

"Oh baby...listen to me, from what I have seen you two have a very strong relationship. Very strong, and before you go jumping to conclusions you need to talk to her. You need to tell her your worries, your fears and your concerns about having a baby right now before you run off thinking she will leave you. Give her some credit baby, give the woman you love so deeply some credit, and realize how much she loves you as well, and you know maybe she's worried you will leave her. It's not impossible babe." she gently rubbed the cops cheek wiping a tear that had fallen.

"Id never leave her mom. Never."

"Well maybe she doesn't know that honey. It's not impossible."

Stef let out another sigh.

"And if you're worried about Callie give that girl a little credit too. I mean I know she has a lot of issues as we all do but she's not a piece of glass honey so don't treat her as if she will break. She's very strong, just like her mama." Sharon winked as the cop let out small smile.

"I know it's all new baby. I know it is but you're doing fine. But like I said get a lock for Christ sake." the older woman laughed trying to break the tension as Stef laughed herself.

"Yeah I get it mom. I get it."

"Come honey give me a hug. I haven't hug you...I haven't hug you in ..I don't know how long baby." Sharon at this point just couldn't hold back her feelings. In actuality she had not wanted to push her daughter at all for they still had a tone of work to do but she..she needed so desperately to hug her and for the cop to know how much she loved her, how much she meant to her, and how much she was still her little girl even at almost 42. It was without a doubt that just as Callie was the blondes life, Stefanie had always been hers.

Stef herself with absolutely no hesitation leaned in closer to her mother now hugging her for the first time since she was a little girl. She was warm, she was soft ,comforting, and protecting. Yes she felt protected by her even if she wasn't seeking it...but she accepted it as she tried hard not to shed tears proving to be unsuccessful. Snuggling her face into her neck, smelling and remembering the perfume her mother wore. The one guilty pleasure she had allowed herself for Frank had been so cheap never buying anything for his wife. Ever. Nonetheless time seemed to stop for the mother and daughter while another layer of ice had broken, another layer of the past, another barrier had been knocked down. Sharon hugged her little girl harder then ever as she realized how strong she felt, how self assured, and courageous for this moment was a moment she had wished for, she had hoped for and a moment she would cherish always. It was the first of many to come she expected as Stef and her would continue the journey of repairing there damaged and broken relationship.

"I love you babygirl. I love you so much." the older woman whispered now pulling away looking straight into her daughter's eyes and cupping her cheek softly with her palm. Stef herself could fully see why she was the way she was with Callie. In some ways she really was like Sharon as she mimicked many of her gestures, affection and words.

"I just...I just want you to know how proud I am of you, how far you have come and just how strong you are and confident. Even when you think you aren't you are and don't ever let anyone tell you different. Ever honey. You just continue to embrace who you are, because you are beautiful inside and out. Especially with that new haircut. Don;t doubt yourself, or your abilities honey. Never."

"I love you too mama." The blonde softy said locking eyes with her mother.

"And I Love you too honey." The red head softly placed a kiss on her daughters forehead and the cop let out a wide smile.

"Now look you got me all emotional. My mascara is running and I'm just a hot mess...and speaking of hot mess...how is Callie...is she still traumatized or even looking at you?"

"Yeah she's ok I think. I spoke to her but we didn't get to got bombarded by Dana this morning." Stef shook her head.

"Dana? Who's Dana?"

"Dana Adams. Lena's mother showed up unannounced." The blonde put her feet up in the chair next to her leaning her head back.

"Was this before or after Callie caught you having sex?"

"Mom." Stef expressed in an annoyed tone as she locked eyes with her mother.

"Hey I'm just asking..you know to make sure I have my timeline right honey and all the facts straight honey." Sharon smirked as she found the whole thing a little on the amusing side as the first time the two women had been intimate they not only gotten caught by Callie but by the curly haired woman's mother. What were the odds the red head thought.

"Well mother I'm happy to hear you find my life so humorous. Really I am." she said putting her feet down and taking another sip of wine.

"Oh relax Stefanie. You are so uptight sometimes I can't believe it. Now listen..." just as Sharon was about to continue her lecture young Callie emerged from Stef's bedroom and upon seeing the red head she ran to her more excited then ever.

"Grandma!"

"There's my girl!" The older woman said smiling as she opened her arms wide for the young teen as Stef herself couldn't help but let out a warm glance at the exchange as Callie wrapped her arms around Sharon's neck.

"I missed you Grandma."

"Aww I missed you too my sweet baby. I missed you too." The red head squeezed the young girl tighter as she couldn't help but notice how much she was glowing compared to when she had seen her last. When she was still worried that no one wanted her.

"But..Let me look at you. Let me see how different you look." Callie pulled away with a look of confusion.

"What..you saw me a few days ago. I don't look any different."

"No that was before you were going to become Miss Callie Adams Foster."

"Mom.." Stef interjected. The cop knew very well that Callie had heard Lena earlier refer to herself as Adams Foster but they still needed to talk to her desperately about there plans to marry soon and what her last name would be. She didn't want to surprise the girl or make her feel as if she was being forced into anything but Callie's response shocked her a bit as the young teen turned her head glancing into the blonde's eyes.

"Well...that's Callie Stefanie Marie Adams Foster, right mama?" Callie smiled wide as she continued to look into her mothers eyes as Stef could only let out a smile herself and a wink. It was true the young girl wasn't really shocked or surprised for she knew they were getting married and she knew it was one of the things they wanted to talk to her about. In her mind she was excited even if she knew it would cause some big changes in her life as well as Stefs. Especially if they were thinking of having a baby..which she wasn't too sure how she felt about just yet.

"That's right baby." Stef confirmed as she pulled the girl onto her lap kissing the back of her head thinking the wedding plans and change of names didn't seem to bother the young girl. But the baby news, that would need to be addressed in her eyes as soon as possible.

"So how was your trip?" Callie rubbed her mother's hand that was wrapped around her tightly.

"I need a vacation from that trip. But...let's just say it was interesting and Frank has...he has certainly not changed." Sharon took another sip of wine as she let out a loud exasperated sigh.

"Maybe he's angry at himself." the teen expressed as both women froze at her comment.

"I mean maybe he knows he wasn't a really nice person and messed up a lot.I read when people are dying they..they regret a lot of things they didn't do in life or regret how they behaved. Maybe he feels bad for how he treated you and mama even if he won't ever admit it." Callie turned to look at her mother once again who barely could let out a smile at the thought of her father. How he had belittled her, how he had berated her, and physically abused her.

"I think you should see him mama."

Stef could only remain silent at her daughters request as her eyes slowly moved up to the girl's face.

"I..I don't know if it's that easy honey." Sharon soon spoke breaking the silence. She could see the look on her daughters face...not angry but very pensive as she placed her hand softly on the young teens thigh.

"Well.. I can come. I'd be with you the entire time if you needed mama." Callie continued to study her mother's pensive face as she truly meant that. She meant every word as Calie's words warmed the blondes heart as well as Sharon's. But Stef didn't want her exposed to this, she didn't even want her talking about this because the young girl had enough of her own issues that they needed to address and this was not one of them. This was Stef's issue and her issue alone and she didn't want Callie anywhere near Frank.

"Aw my baby..I know you would.I know but..this is ..this is something mama needs to do on her own love." she gently rubbed the girls cheek softly.

"Needs to do? What do you mean?" Sharon questioned as she was surprised at her daughter's response. Stef had never mentioned anything about seeing Frank. Nothing and she was somewhat taken a back by her sudden decision. Or so it seemed as the cop quickly diverted her gaze to her mother for she knew she would need to explain what she was thinking and her decision.

"Sweets why don't you go on and get ready for bed. I'll be in a second. Mama just needs to talk some." She gently tucked a curl behind Callie's ear as the young girl didn't seem ready to move.

"You sure you're ok ma?" Callie questioned with a hint of concern.

"I am fine my love. Mama's fine."

"You positive like absolutely?"

"Positive my love. Now go one get ready for bed and we'll have some ice cream later in my bed." The blonde winked as she placed a soft kiss on the young girls forehead.

"Mmm ok. " Callie slid off her mothers lap now wrapping her arms around her from behind as the blonde softly kissed her hands.

"I love you mama."

"I love you too sweets."

"Goodnight grandma." Callie said as she once again wrapped her arms around the red head with Sharon reciprocating the hug.

"I love you too my baby." she winked as the young girl was seen hesitantly leaving the room and it was then that Sharon faced the blonde with a look of determination and clearly wanting an explanation.

"Mom before you say anything I was going to..." Stef began but the red head was quick to cut her off.

"Stefanie please, please baby. Please tell me you aren't going to see Frank. Just please tell me."

"Mom. I am. "

"Why? Why?"she questioned fully feeling like this was a terrible idea. The worst for yes at one point Frank had been somewhat remorseful for his actions and how he had treated the both of them and had even himself written a letter himself to the blonde. But that remorse had not lasted long for the abuse had continued years after he wrote that letter apologizing to his daughter. It had really continued up until Sharon had called it quits herself and moved to Florida slamming Frank with divorce papers once and for all.

"Well..it's just something I need to do for myself mom and..."

"Stefanie it..it won't bring you to a good place baby. You've worked to hard to get to where you are. Much much to hard and .." the red head moved in closer to her daughter as she..the last thing she wanted was for her to go backwards. For the confidence she displayed to die. She could see it...she could see the cop truly being herself especially with her new haircut as it only spoke volumes to how good she felt.

"Mom..it won't bring me back to any place. It won't I'm too strong for that now I mean you just said so yourself. Unless that was a lie." she laughed awkardly.

The older woman looked down shaking her head and soon looking up into her daughters hazel eyes and gently rubbing her soft cheek once again.

"Stefanie no I did not lie. You are very strong. Yes you are but honey, why don't you just focus on your daughter, adopting this beautiful child, your wedding and the life all three, or four of you are going to have. Focus on..focus on talking to Lena. Focus on the people that make you feel good, that have..that have helped you become who you are. Not the people who have killed you, who have ripped your heart and soul for that is all they will continue to do baby. Frank, he has not changed he hasn't honey and no matter what you tell him he won't get it. He won't understand. He just doesn't have the capacity. Why put yourself through that? Why babygirl?"

The blonde could only stare at her mother as she now got up from the table rinsing her wine glass out. It wasn't about her mother or what she wanted and she knew she had a life to plan, she knew she had to focus on Callie's adoption and prepare for that, she knew she had wedding to focus on and where they might live, she knew she had to help Callie with this case against Justina, and talk to her wife about this baby, she had to focus on all of it and more. But this was something, this was something she needed to do for herself and her mother needed to understand that.

"Mom...I opened up my past when I let you back in my life. Yes not voluntarily for Lena called you but I let you back in. I did and I don't regret it. I mean I thought I would, I really did but I don't...and I don't intend on letting Frank back in. Ever. I don't but...but there are a few things I need to get off my chest. There are and...and I need to do this for myself, for my daughter and for my soon to be wife. Regardless of weather he takes responsibly for his actions I don't care. I don't care at all. But he needs to know what he did to me, how he made me feel and I want to show him how I turned out. How strong I am, how he can no longer hurt me ever. That I need him to see."

Sharon could only sigh for she knew very well Stefanie wasn't going to budge on her decision no matter how dead set against it she was. She just knew...but she also knew that no matter how strong she was and was continuing to grow that seeing her father...it could just set her back. Set her back years and make her remember things she had hoped she never would. How could she as her mother prevent that and protect her in a way she never had. How?

* * *

 **NOTE: Up next Lena's POV and a look into her and Stef's first fight.**


	44. Words Of The Past

**Hi all! I did some massive updates to the chapter before this. It felt a little light before. I added much more Sharon/Stef.**

 **Enjoy this chaper!-Stef1981**

LENA POV

Stef was angry with me. I knew that I knew it and leaving things unsaid and unfinished was something we both hated. Last thing I wanted was for her to walk in on what I said before I got a chance to talk to her, talk to her and with Callie. Yes, I did want a baby, I did and maybe I should have told her last night when we laid in the bed together for the first time alone in months. I should have for the timing would have been ok, and it would have avoided any of this and I wouldn't feel so..so stupid. I knew communication wasn't always my strong point, even if I tried to make it, and I was guilty at yelling at Stef for keeping things from me. Her excuse was she wanted to handle things on her own, she wanted to protect me at times from herself and that she didn't want to burden me with it. It had been a longstanding issue in the first few months of our relationship, even during our first few times out together. I had been the more open one in the beginning, communicating everything under the sun. However, somewhere along the way as much as we vowed to always communicate I found myself falling into a trap. A trap of wanting to handle things alone for I didn't want to stress my partner out, I didn't want her to take on anymore, and I didn't want her to constantly feel like she needed to save me.

My head was spinning and I was exhausted as I laid once again in the empty bed. Thinking of the many nights Stef and I shared it together. The nights when our lives seemed a little less complicated by feelings, situations and just life in general. When it all seemed so simple, when we were still basked in the newness of our relationship void of any problems at that time. They would show up of course. They definitely would no matter how much I didn't want them to that was unavoidable for Stef...after our first few dates she just wouldn't open herself up. She was so closed off about herself, about who she was that I felt as if she was hiding something from me. Or maybe she was uncomfortable and I knew she..I knew she had just come out, and was growing but it was hurting us. It was and it had taken some time to really see the insecurities she dealt with that ran deep. Deeper then she ever wanted to admit to me. Of course at the time I wasn't very aware of what she was struggling with internally and had recurring thoughts that we had possibly rushed into our relationship too fast, that we or I was impulsive. But that didn't feel right...and breaking up with her didn't feel right either even it was crossing my mind at the time.

FLASHBACK

 _"You don't hear me...I am working hard to get to know you Stef and you..you don't tell me anything." I said as we stood arguing in my kitchen over..I wasn't even really sure. I just knew I was feeling frustrated, I was feeling so frustrated with her as she stood wide eyed at me drinking a beer. I mean I knew...I was very aware that I was spoiling the night we had where we went to an amazing dinner and a movie. Of course I had picked out the restaurant once again because for some odd reason after our first date Stef never wanted to pick one out._

 _"What are you talking about I tell you things. I tell you more then anyone Lena." she said defensively._

 _"Um no you don't Stef. We have been dating for almost three months and...and I barely know anything about you. Every time I ask you personal things you divert the conversation to me or to something else. I mean what is it. Do you not trust me?"_

 _"Of course I trust you baby. I trust you more then anything." she put her drink down walking closer to me. It was hard to be angry at her for I loved her so strongly as her soft hazel eyes locked with mine but I continued to feel the frustration inside me._

 _"Then why don't you talk to me? You barely mention your past, you never talk about your childhood, your job, the things you like to do. I mean you know mostly everything there is to know about me. Yes we are still learning on a daily basis but...I feel like it's even the small things. I ask you what you want to do what you want to eat or what you want to watch and you just tell me whatever I want to do."_

 _I saw her let out a big sigh as I couldn't believe what I was saying. I sounded like a five year old, I knew it but no matter how trivial it sounded I knew there was something more going on underneath this shell she had. The first few dates we had Stef was a little more open, of course she was sweet, very affectionate but she calmed up so much now and I just couldn't understand why. I had tried countless times to get her to open up but she just wouldn't._

 _"Lena is it a crime that I want to make you happy. I mean is it? What do you want me to say. My childhood sucked, my job I don't think you really want to know about what I deal with on a day to day basis, the things I like to do..I mean I don't know...I like to play pool, I like to watch movies I don't know. What is it you want from me. I'm trying too...and.." she softly grabbed my arms as I closed my eyes tightly._

 _"Baby..." her voice remained affectionate and soft. Why did she have to call me that? Why?..she knew it was the one word that melted my heart and the one I loved the most. But I didn't want that to block how I was feeling as I pushed the word aside and.._

 _"Why do you always make me pick a restaurant Stef?" I blurted out as she looked at me completely taken off guard._

 _"What?"_

 _"You heard me. Why do you always make me pick a restaurant? I have planned each and every single one of our dates for the past few months Stef."_

 _"I...I..have planned some. What are you talking about Lena." I could see the annoyance grow on her face._

 _"No Stef. Just once..just once and that was our very first date._ _Don't you realize the one thing I loved about our first date was you picked the place. You asked me. You showed me what you like."_

 _"Oh please..I took you to a fair with cheap rides and greasy food. Plus you got sick afterwards. I was embarrassed Lena." her laugh was awkward I could tell...but was this what she thought? Goodness. Sure I got a little sick after but that was only because I wasn't use to eating that kind of food. But I loved it...I had loved that first date with her as I broke free for the first time ever in my life. However, judging by the look on her face right now she truly believed how she felt as my my eyes grew soft and hers suddenly moved away._

 _"Embarrassed? Embarrassed about what love? I had an amazing time that day. Amazing..And so what if I got sick. I didn't care it was worth it."_

 _"Lena you're...use to the better things in life ok?"_

 _"Stef what are you talking about? What...what better things in life?" she slowly moved away resting her back against my kitchen counter still so unsure of herself as the hesitation and self doubt remained in her voice. I honestly didn't know where any of this was coming from I really didn't as I just stood there waiting for her to respond. But this might take awhile and this might take...this might take me walking over to her and reassuring her it was ok to tell me. To tell me how she really really felt for once._

 _"Baby please talk to me. What..is it?" I gently placed my hand on her soft face as her eyes now looked into mine. They were so worried as she swallowed hard and my face grew more and more concerned._

 _"Sophisticated things ok? I am not..I am far from sophisticated...and I just didn't want to run the risk of taking you somewhere that that was beneath you. I mean what it's no secret your out of your league. I've never been to Paris, hell I've never left California, I don't have a college degree, I don't know shit about wines and what it goes with. I speak English, just English and you speak well over five languages. I drink beer, I just gave up a nasty cigarette habit to be with you..I mean I'm not...I can't match up to your ex-girlfriend...and Lena I just..I just want to be everything to you. Give you everything and make you happy...and..." she trailed off as for the first time I could see tears in her eyes. Real tears as she kept looking away from me for I knew this was hard for her. It was so hard for her to really open up this deep as I placed my hand on her chin yet again turning her face to me._

 _"Baby..I don't care. I don't care about any of that...I really don't. I love you for many reasons for so many reasons Stef. You think I care you didn't go to college? You think I care about wines and languages. So you drink beer I do sometimes...and to be honest I'm glad I made you give up that disgusting habit of smoking." I chuckled as I could see a small smile grace her face._

 _"Stef, my love, my sweet love...that first date you have no idea. You have no idea how happy I was. You picked me up and I was so excited that...that I couldn't really contain myself. I mean I was happy to go somewhere fun and different because believe me I don't always want to go to some fancy place. I've been to so many as a kid that I'm honestly sick of them. It was nice to let loose and see how much fun you were. God you were fun honey. You're jokes, and the way you held me when I was scared on some of those rides. You won me a teddy bear. Stef no one has ever won be a teddy bear." I smiled as I could still see the doubts written on her face as she turned to look away from me. But I quickly moved her face back faster then anything. I wanted to see those pretty eyes and I wanted her to really listen, to know that I was being honest. Being more honest then I ever have with anyone and she needed to know. She needed to and I was so badly hoping this would...this would make her open herself up. To really let me in._

 _"Baby...that day, that day was one of the most special days I have ever had...and I have never laughed so much. TO be honest that's how I feel every time I'm with you. The best part of my days is just..is just being with you, seeing you, waking up next to you when we make love. But...I just can't help but feel like sometimes...during these past few months that you seem so stiff and uncomfortable, and I know being with a woman is still very new for you honey but it's not just about making me happy, its about me making you happy too and letting me in honey. Stef...you have to let me in if this is going to work."_

 _By this time my eyes were tearing and she was holding my hand so tightly as I wiped her tears softly. But once again her eyes they looked away and they fell to the floor._

 _"Stef...what are you so afraid of? Do you..Do you trust me?_

 _"More then anything Lena...you have no idea."_

 _"Then please talk to me. Please honey. Show me who you are. Show me who you are to the fullest. You know me, I won't every judge you, I won't ever laugh at you, I love you for you Stef. I do." My hand remained on her cheek as she now looked to me._

 _"I've been...I've been hiding myself for so long Lena..that sometimes I forget that I don't need to. The times I remember that I can be me I'm the happiest, but I don't know what happens. It's like...it's like I just revert back to hiding. Sometimes..I'm just...I'm terrified. But I ..I don't want to be. I mean I love this life I have with you, I love this person that I am with you when I allow myself to be that person that is."_

 _"I love when you allow yourself to be that person too honey. I do." I admitted as it was true._

 _"I'm trying baby."_

 _"Stef...I know you are but you have to tell me when..when you feel things creeping up. I can try to help you, I can be patient with you. It's just when you shut me out and try to handle all this on your own and I walk around with no clue that it becomes frustrating. The only way we will continue to grow is if we remain open and show each other what we really like. I mean you have no problem showing me in the bedroom what you like." I smiled as she let out a smile herself. It was true Stef was not shy in bed at all not in the least for when she would cum the whole building would know. I had to admit she had an equal effect on me for I never held back with her either for there were many nights I shouted her name just as loud._

 _"Well I don't even need to you seem to know what I like baby. You really do. Iv'e never had anyone touch me the way you do Lena. Ever. Do you know how many years I've faked orgasms. I mean it was exhausting. Poor Mike." she said shaking her had and letting out a mild laugh as I could only smile myself._

 _"Don't worry I've faked a few myself."_

 _"With me?"_

 _"No! God no not with you. Stef...you um for someone that has never been with a woman ever...you um do things to me that I could only dream about before. You got some serious skill set baby." I smiled once again._

 _"Yeah I admit I'm pretty damm good with my tongue." she winked as I shook my head._

 _"Oh listen to you miss confidence!" I slapped her arm happily as I giggled._

 _"Come here woman." she grabbed my waist and pulled me in closer to her. Her eyes were so intense so intense as they stared so deeply in mine._

 _"YOu know I love it when you call me woman."_

 _"Don't I know...but.._ _Lena, my love, my baby." Her voice was so soft and gentle as she uttered these names to me. Names that when she said them my heart..my heart fluttered and I could feel more emotions then anything in my body especially at the word baby._

 _" I promise I will try my hardest to open up more, to be more open with you and to share more of who I am. No matter how painful things may be for me, or hard to talk about I Just..Lena I want to do right by you. God do I want to. You...you are my life and I would protect you with mine and I would..I would do anything for you. I will do anything for you. Please know that..even when ..even when I seem closed off..that I'm just having a hard time. I don't do it on purpose I'm just so use to dealing with things on my own...and.."_

 _"Love, I know you are. But you don't need to anymore. You don't. You let it out honey. Let it out and...I would do anything for you as well honey. Anything. I would protect your life with mine as well, and..you are truly my life."_

 _With that we leaned in. We leaned in and softly kissed each other. Not saying the road was not rocky for we both had done our fair share of mistakes, and we continued to sometimes argue. Of course. But each time we made up, and promised to communicate better as we spent that night making love._

FLASHBACK ENDS

Coming out of my memory as I tried so hard to close my eyes the looming headache was definitely taking over as I looked to the clock that read 2am. This was useless and ridiculous to try to get any sleep for I knew I wouldn't be able to. Sliding out of my bed I pulled my jeans on and Stef's hoodie from earlier. Grabbing my keys, and exciting the apartment quietly as to not wake my mother who was sleeping on the pullout, I decided to head over to Stef's place. No the timing was not good not at all but it would have to be. We needed to talk, and we needed to talk now for it had been unfair of me to keep my real feelings to myself.


	45. Pain

**Enjoy loves! I'm home sick in bed so hopefully can get another chapter out!**

STEF POV

"Mom, Mom.." I said gently shaking Sharon's arm to wake her as she slept soundly in Callie's empty bed. It was nearly 3am and I had gotten called into overtime, unfortunately, but fortunately my mother had decided to sleep over for it was nearly midnight when we finished our talk and she had too much alcohol in her to drive back to the hotel.

"Mama..." I shook her again as she slowly began to wake up her eyes beginning to open I could see from the glow of the hallway nightlight.

"Stefanie. What's wrong? What happened baby? Callie is she ok?" her eyes now halfway open as I stood over her.

"Nothing ma everything is ok. Listen I got called into work..can you stay with Callie? I should be back around 7am."

"Sure. What time is it?" she said lifting up to look at the clock on my daughters nightstand.

"3am? Goodness. Working so late honey. I never say it but I can't stand when you work these hours sweetheart."

"Mom.." I began ignoring her comment.

"Callie's in my bed and she might wake up and look for me..sometimes it's a bit of challenge to get her to go back to sleep but..."

"But I think I can handle it honey. Callie and I have been down this road before and I'm not a complete idiot."

I looked to her and rolled my eyes.

"Mom I never said, never mind." I said with a bit of frustration as I walked to the doorway.

"Honey are you sure it's a good idea for you to go in. You have so much on your mind and that can be distracting. Especially in your line of work honey."

"Mom I'll be fine. I've gone to work with more on my mind."

"I know but, well I won't fight you on this. Just be careful baby. Please you're my only daughter and ...well my only babygirl."

"Mother don't be so dramatic.I'll call in a few hours to check on Cals, OK?"

"She'll be fine baby girl. Just leave my door cracked a bit. And be careful please."

"I will mom. Thank you." I gently closed her door but leaving it ajar as I quietly walked into my room. I couldn't help but smile seeing that Callie had completely taken over my side of the bed. Carefully leaning down to kiss her soft forehead I felt her stir a bit as I covered her a little more with the blanket.

"Mama?" She mumbled quietly. However, I knew she was dreaming and not fully awake.

"Shshh...Mama will be back my love. Go back to sleep my love and Mama loves you so so much." I whispered softly in her ear as she turned over falling back into a deep sleep. Feeling relieved that she had gone right back to sleep for it had been a challenge prying her off of me earlier it was evident that the embarrassment of catching me and Lena in bed together earlier had worn off quickly. But I knew why it had...I mean sure I was grateful she could look me in the eye but it was true that Callie's fears at times certainly out weighted everything else for she was still for the most part afraid if I wasn't around.

Kissing her softly once again on her cheek I placed a note for her on my nightstand as to not wake her again and existed the room leaving the door halfway open. Going to work at 3am was the last thing I wanted as my mother was right I did have a ton of shit on my mind and I was finding it hard to think. But what could I do...I wasn't calling Lena at 3am to talk about what needed to be talked about and I hadn't even fully wrapped it around my brain yet either. I just hadn't as I didn't really know what I wanted to say or how I really felt. Truth was I didn't even want to think about it right this second as I grabbed my bag and an apple hoping Mike would pick up some coffee. But as I went to unlock the door I realized I had forgotten to unlock my gun like an idiot. How in the hell could I forget that? Dropping my bag and shaking my head like an idiot it was then I heard my door open and there stood Lena as big as day to my surprise.

"Lena what..what are you doing here?"

"I needed to talk to you Stef. I..didn't like how we left things." she blurted out now looking me up and down.

"You're going to work?" she questioned.

"Lena it's 3 in the morning." I said ignoring her question as she walked into the apartment and I closed the door behind her not ready to talk about this. Not at all.

"Well, you liked how we ended things this morning Stef?"

"No I never said that. I never said that at all but you think now is a good time?"

"You're angry at me Stef and I hate when you'r angry at me. I couldn't sleep knowing we didn't talk about all of this."

"I'm not angry at you." I lied looking down at my feet.

"Yes you are. I know you Stef. I know you're angry that I wasn't honest with you. That I didn't tell you...that I didn't tell you what I wanted."

"Well that wouldn't be the first time now would it." I knew I was being sarcastic, I knew it but I wasn't exactly sure where my anger was coming from. Maybe I was more angry at myself.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing. Nothing Lena."

"No it's not nothing Stef what's that suppose to mean?" she whispered as I could tell my comment hit a nerve.

"Nothing Lena. Look I really don't want to talk about this right now. Ok? It's late and.."

"Yes because you only want to talk about it when it's good for you." she spat angrily to me.

"That's not true. Come on. I mean what do you want from me? I asked you a million times, Lena what do what, how can I make you happy. I told you a few months ago, I asked you if you wanted a baby. You said no, or maybe. And..."

"And yes..I do. I want one ok. I do. I want one with you Stef." Her eyes looking intense as she glared into mine.

"Then why didn't you tell me last night. Or before then and you promised that if anything changed you would tell me. I don't I don't have a crystal ball."

"I never said you did Stef. I just didn't know how to bring it up. I didn't and there's just so much going on and I didn't want to add anything else to this or us. I was afraid you might not want the same thing."

I couldn't look her in the face right now, not at all because if I dug deep down inside of me, really deep down inside of me I didn't want a baby. I just couldn't imagine adding anything else to us right now, and being responsible for another person at this moment on top of everything else going on. Stretching myself that far and that thin was another issue and challenge that consumed me. How could I know if I would be a good mother to this baby that Lena so desperately wanted. Was there any sure way to tell? Just this shear amount of unanswered questions plagued my mind continuously over the last few hours and I just honesty didn't know how to tell her. Callie, was another issue. How was she going to feel? Would she feel like she wasn't enough for us? Would she feel unwanted even more? All of these rational thoughts were difficult to accept for I couldn't help but feel like they were making me sound horribly selfish, that they made me sound like an asshole who didn't fully want to give my partner everything she deserved. It was true, I was upset for feeling this way. For feeling so inadequate and the last thing I wanted to do ever was hurt her. I couldn't bare to hurt her as my eyes now found my way to hers where it was so clearly evident that she knew what I was thinking. Lena knew me so well, much more then I ever wanted anyone to know me and right at this moment it was a curse. To be honest life was funny for she was the one who had wanted a baby so badly from the very beginning while I was the one who was so unsure about children in general and here I was adopting one. I mean what were the odds and how could I not give her what she wanted even if I was not 100 percent sure.

"Lena I.." I began as my words began to crack.

"You don't want one do you?" her stare was more intense then before. It was so intense I felt as if her eyes were cutting right through me. They already looked pained, they looked hurt and they looked so defeated and heartbroken just by the expression on my face which she so could clearly read.

"I.." but I couldn't get any words to come out. They wouldn't come out as she closed her eyes so tightly and I could see the tears trickle down her face as she proceeded to walk past.

"Baby..." I said pulling her arm but she pulled away harshly..she pulled away so fast..

"Baby please don't go...I..." but just as she was about to leave we heard the most bone chilling cry come from my room. So bone chilling that it sent shivers up my spine as we both looked to one another in shock.

"Mama! Mama! Mama please! Mom! Please!" we heard Callie scream and without any hesitation Lena grabed my hand and we ran into my bedroom where we found Callie crawled up in the corner of the room drenched in sweat.

* * *

CALLIE POV

"Stick your head in! Stick it in you little shit!"

"Please, please I just...I'm sorry Ms. Elaine...please I'm sorry..." but she grabbed me by my hair dunking my head in the sink water that she had filled up to the top. I was trying so hard to breathe...to breath just a little as she rammed my head deeper in.

"You steal from me! You steal food from me. This will teach you, you little shit! This will teach you!"

My eyes were burning they were burning so badly as she held my head in the water. I didn't want to die like this. I didn't want to as I tried so hard to lift my head each time feeling the weight of her hand on the back of my head pushing my head in more and more. I could feel the water in my lungs, burning my chest as I tried so hard to stay in focus, but she lifted my head up. She lifted it up and I tried to catch as much air as I could. But she pulled my hair back. She pulled it back so hard I heard my neck snap as she breathed on me the stench of beer and cigarettes permeating my nose. Ms. Elaine was a big woman, a mean woman who could turn on you at any point. I had only been living with her in her trailer for a week and the abuse she put me through was..was exhausting. She starved me, she burned me, and repeatedly used her cruel punishment of trying to drown me in the sink over and over. Her creepy son was also an issue as he never took his eyes off me. This woman had given more food to her dog as I lay at night sleeping on a dusty old mattress that had springs sticking out of it that would poke me each night causing pain. But I'd rather lay on that dirty mattress, I'd rather lay on it forever then feel her yet again yank my hair and dip my head in the sink. Over and over..as she continued to scream at me...scream louder then ever as I tired so hard not to cry not to show fear. Not to show pain and worry, she was going to kill me. She was going to kill me, she was and one of these days I would end up dead in her bathroom. But this dream didn't make sense I thought as she lifted my head out the water I saw mama standing in the doorway. She was yelling for Ms. Elaine to stop. But nothing was coming from her mouth. Nothing as Justina. Justina came behind her and shot her. She shot mama who fell to the floor. I screamed. I screamed as I saw Stef fall to the ground and I screamed louder as Ms. Elaine pulled me. She pulled me so hard but I was fighting so hard as I saw mama bleeding the tears, the pain I felt my heart get ripped out as Justina stood over her laughing. But Lena now lay on the floor with blood coming from her. I.."

"Mama! Mama!' Mama please! Mom! Please! I shot up out of the bed panting...panting so hard tears falling from my eyes as I ran...ran in the corner of the room covering myself with my arms. I was so scared...I was so terrified as I soon felt someone's arms around me and looking through my tear stained eyes I saw mama and Lena.

"Baby...its ok..it's ok my love. It's ok we got you. We got you." I turned to mama hugged her so tight. Tighter then I ever have as I griped her shirt.

"Mama. Mama..." was all I could say as my heart was racing..it was racing so fast as I didn't know that I was dreaming I had no idea that I had been dreaming for it had felt so real. All of it felt so real as the visions of Mama and Lena laying on the floor bleeding filled my brain.

"I'm here babygirl. I'm here."

"You, you you got shot...you got shot and " I buried my face in her as I held her so tight and the tears began to roll down my face even more.

"It was just a bad dream. It was just a bad dream baby. I have you. I have you sweets and I'm ok. I'm ok. I'm right here my baby girl. Mama is right here, and Mom is right here. She's right here too."

I looked over to see Lena on the other side of me holding my hand hard as I leaned in to hug her.

"It's ok sweetheart we both go you. Mama and I are ok." I hugged her tighter just as tight as mama as I felt her rub my back.

"Goodness she's burning up Stef. Her back is sweating and on fire."

I soon felt mama feel my forehead as a look of worry filled both of there faces.

"Goodness you are burning up. You don't feel well baby?" I shook my head.

"Come let's get you in the bed my love." Mama said as her and Lena both lifted me up from the floor and I climbed into Stef's bed. I was feeling so exhausted and so out of it. The fear was just...it had been to much as I once again wrapped my arms around mama not letting her go for anything. She too held on to me just as she always did when she knew I was scared. When she knew I was afraid of just life of everything.

"I'll get a towel and thermometer." Lena said turning the lamp on.

"It's in the medicine cabinet love." I heard mama say as she continued to hold me and I gripped her so tight almost digging my fingers into her. But I didn't want Lena to leave because I was so terrified, and I was so scared as I pulled away from mama grabbing Lena's arm standing up faster then ever as dizziness took over my head.

"No! Mom please!please! Don't go! Justina is..." I couldn't breath as I felt the panic take over that consumed my body completely overwhelming it as Lena held onto me.

"Honey it's ok. Justina is not here. She won't get you, me or mama. She will not." Her voice was stern but soft.

"But she hurt you too mom. She hurt you and mama."

"Come here here lets sit."

She carefully lead me back to the bed where I sat in between both of them as Mama rubbed my back trying to sooth and calm my nerves. I didn't want either of them to leave as that dream put the fear of god into me. I couldn't get over how real it felt almost as if Justina was standing right here with her gun, and I was watching the blood trail from my moms. My only response right now and the only thing I could muster were tears that keep pouring from my eyes.

"Callie, I know dreams are scary. I know they are so scary but it was only a dream. Just a dream and she won't ever ever hurt me, or mama or most importantly you. We will never ever let that happen to you. Ever."

"But I saw her! She's in the bathroom and she has a gun and..." I couldn't breathe again.

"Baby, I promise you my love. I promise you she is not here. She is not honey." Stef said trying to reassure me. But I could only continue to keep panicking as the sweat from my fever was dripping down my face.

"Love listen to me you are burning up and I'm just going to grab a towel and change of clothes for you. We have to get you out of this. Ok honey? I will be ok and I'm only going in the bathroom love."

I shook my head furiously back and forth.

"No! Please!You can't!" I wrapped myself around her once again so she couldn't leave.

"Please mama don't. Don't go."

"Ok. Ok my love I won't go. I won't honey. I'm not going anywhere honey. I'm not. Mom and I will stay with you all night. We will. Why don't you let mom hold you while I take my shirt off and just wipe you face with it ok? Yes?"

I nodded my head as I felt Lena wrap her arms around me and I melted into her grabbing her hand as she kissed my temple softly. Mama took her uniform shirt off and wiped my drenched forehead with it as my breathing had calmed a little bit.

"It's ok sweetheart." Lena spoke softly in my ear.

"God my baby you are burning up. We have to get you something for it. Listen." mama began but I shook my head once again.

"No mama, no please don't..." I cried once again begging her not to leave.

"Listen my baby, mama is tough. Very, very tough and Justina is no match for me. None at all! And if she is in here which she isn't she's the one that needs to worry."

"But she had a gun mama and...

"And so do I my girl. Listen, I got this. And I told you I did from day one. You have to believe me. Believe me more then ever. Yes?"

My anxiety was killing me. It was killing me so bad.

"Cals listen I'm just going to unlock my gun ok? This way I can check the apartment to reassure you that she's not here."

"But she shot you mama she shot you and mom.I saw it"

"I know you did honey. I know but it wasn't real. It wasn't real at all sweetheart. Me and mom are right here. We are right here with you. And grandma is right in your room. No one,no one is going to get you. No one." she continued to hold my hand harder then ever.

"Honey your mama is right. No one, absolutely no one is going to get you. No one. And your mama is a very good cop. She wont let anything happen. She won't." I once again looked up to Lena as her eyes remained soft and glanced back to mama as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"You trust me honey?"

I nodded my head.

"Yes but...I'm so scared. I don't want anything to happen to you mama." the tears continued to flow down my face.

"Nothing is going to happen to me honey. Nothing. I have a job to do and that job is to be your mother, to keep you safe, to keep you and, to keep you and your mom safe. That is my job always. Trust me ok?" She gently stroked the side of my face as I felt Lena wrap her arms around me even tighter.

I hesitantly nodded my head and swallowed hard as Stef leaned in to kiss my forehead. I was so scared...I was so afraid as I watched her get up and unlock her gun which I did not know the code to. I don't even think Lena knew the code as my eyes locked with hers once gain and she winked at me.

"It's ok my love." She reassured me as my heart raced a little more and Lena kissed the back of my head once again.

"Hurry mama..please." tears continued to roll down my face.

"I will. Mom has you baby. She has you."

"It's ok. It's ok bug." Lena said as she continued to use mamas shirt to wipe the sweat off my back, my neck and face and I watched mama exit the bedroom turning the hall light on. I knew deep inside that Justina wasn't really here... I knew it as reality had started to come back into focus for it was a dream it had been a dream but it had felt so real. It had felt so undeniably real to me that I just couldn't shake it. I couldn't shake it at all as Lena grabbed me tighter holding me, protecting me as we waited for mama to return.


	46. Memory

**As always thanks guys for your amazing reviews!-Stef1981**

Justina Marks had remained virtually hidden. Especially since she was getting slammed with accusation after accusation from former foster kids that had been in her care and even staff members. The fury within her was astronomical as well as the rage. Her career was going down hill, as well as her reputation that was less then steller all because of a cop and a young girl. Nonetheless she had done her research in the last few weeks herself digging deep into the lives of Stefanie Foster, Lena Adams and even young Callie Jacobs. She had turned up nothing on Lena Adams absolutely nothing but had turned up a few things on both the blonde cop and the young teen. For starters she learned of Stefanie's abusive past and her violent alcoholic father but was digging even harder to find anything on her that she could use to block this adoption. In terms of young Callie Jacob's she had searched long and hard for the young girls birth parents with much luck. Her mother was a recovering drug addict and after relentless calls she had convinced the women to seek out the young girl. Turned out she had never signed over her parental rights and neither had Callie's father which is what the teen and Social Services had been told. This new information could certainly disrupt and hurt the adoption something Justina was was to determined to stop. She wanted to hurt the cop right where she knew it would hurt the most. Callie. And that would just be the beginning for she was set out to ruin her life just as she was ruining hers.

* * *

Callie's eyes had opened wide as she was blinded by the sun that shined too brightly in her mother's room. Completely oblivious to what had happened the night before she realized she was glued to her mother, something that was no out of the ordinary. Gently lifting her head up she could see that Stef was sound asleep in her uniform which the teen found odd as she rubbed her eyes carefully getting up. The young girl kissed her softly on the cheek and carefully got off the bed leaving the room and closing the door behind her. Now walking passed her own room she was confused to see Sharon asleep on top of the covers passed out, but the aroma of pancakes and bacon coming from the kitchen took over her mind. As she made her way in she found Lena had set the table and was flipping more pancakes while she had coffee brewing and fresh OJ filling four glasses.

"Hey bug. Just in time honey." Lena smiled as she held her arms wide open for the young girl to hug her. Callie still being half asleep walked closer to the slim and melted into her arms.

"Morning." she mumbled in a sleepy tone taking her spot at the small kitchen table.

"Mama is sleeping."

"Yeah she's tired bug. But I made us some breakfast honey." She placed a plateful of pancakes down for Callie as she soon felt the girls head and the teen looked up in confusion.

"Why are you feeling my head?"

"You don't remember last night honey? You were burning up with a fever and you had a pretty bad nightmare."

"MM I don't remember. I just remember eating ice cream in mama's bed last night with her and waking up." the young girl said as it was true. She had no recollection of a bad dream or having a fever.

"I don't feel sick I feel ok. I mean a little tired but nothing major."

As Lena stood there she was a little surprised at what the teen had said. Was she half asleep last night as she clung to her and Stef begging for them not to leave. Had she been half asleep when Sharon had come into the room as well later on comforting the girl when Stef returned from checking the apartment at least three times to reassure Callie that Justina was not there. How could she not remember-unless she blocked it out. That to Lena wasn't unheard of. The young girl was definitely known for blocking painful things out but this had just happened only a few short hours ago and it raised a few alarm bells for the tall slim woman as she now took a seat next to the young girl.

"Callie, um do you often have a hard time remembering things?"

"MM not that I know of. I mean there are alot of things I wish I could forget but can't seem to. Why do you ask Mom?" Her eyes wide.

"No reason bug. Eat your pancakes before they get cold." she gently placed a kiss on the girls head as worry soon began to take over.

"Where's your mom?" she asked stuffing another forkful of pancakes in her mouth. "She seems really nice. I like her."

"She is nice honey. And she likes you too. But she's at my place we will probably go out later to lunch or something."

"Hows the pancakes baby?"

"Really good." she smiled wide at the slim woman still unaware of what went on the night before.

"You know honey mama and I didn't really get a chance to talk to you about things."

"I know. About walking in on you guys having sex? I really don't want to relive that. Please." the young girl held her hand up hoping to stop any talk about that incident.

"Well not just that." the curly haired woman laughed. "But about other things. Us getting married and.."

"And you wanting a baby?"

"Well, yes but I didn't mean for you to find out the way you did. Callie I just don't want you thinking that I don't love you, that you aren't enough for me, because you are everything to me. And whether your mama and I choose to have a baby I want you to know that you are my little girl always, no matter what and no matter who comes into our life."

"I know Lena, and I don't think that way. I know you love me even if that scares me sometimes I know you do, and to be honest I wouldn't mind having a little brother or sister. It could be cool. I've had tons of foster brothers and sisters that I really loved and it was fun at times being the oldest one." she smiling as she truly meant what she was saying. She did support Lena's choice and she knew she loved her regardless.

"Come here sweetheart." Lena was clearly touched at the young girls response as she pulled her in for a warm hug.

"Oh Callie I love you bug. I love you so so much." she gently kissed the top of her head as the teen hugged her tightly.

"I love you too mom." Softly pulling away the young girl took another bite of her pancakes.

"I think mama is nervous about it though."

"What makes you say that honey?" Lena asked looking surprised.

"Mm I don't know. Just a feeling. I think she wants one too but I think she's worried about it. Mama always worries that, well, she's not doing a good job or something. But that's just the opposite"

"You're right about that sweetie." As Lena listened to what the young girl had clearly picked up on from her mother the thought had never crossed her mind that Stef was worried about failing. But how could it not for she had the same exact fears when she was considering fostering Callie. The slim women knew she had to continued to conversation her and the blonde has started earlier as she smiled at the young teen and softly kissing her forehead once again. But she was also concerned at Callie's inability to recall anything from the night before.

"Why don't you finish up while I go wake your mama."

Callie nodded her head as she continued to stuff her face.

"And no stealing coffee miss. I'm watching you."

"Sure" Callie said smiling mischievously as her eyes were already fixated on the coffee pot.

* * *

 **NOTE: I know this chapter is a little shorter then usual, but I wanted to get something out to you guys today! Working on the next chapter :)**


	47. Coffee

**Hi all! I missed writing the last couple of weeks! First I was sick then got bombed at work and now planning a vacation. But I had had had to write or I would explode :)**

 **I wanted to ask you all..do you think Callie appears to be 15(the age I have her) in this story or more like 13? Just curious!**

 **Thanks for waiting!-Stef1981**

As the curly haired woman made her way into Stef's room she saw her still somewhat passed out as she herself couldn't get over how tired the blonde really looked, and how exhausted she seemed. Lena suddenly began to think twice about continuing the conversation that they so desperately needed to finish. However she softly closed the door behind her and carefully took a seat on the bed leaning in and kissing the cop on the lips.

"I love you Stefanie Marie Foster. I love you so much regardless of how much we fight, and regardless of how much we may disagree. I just want us to be happy, and I just want us to be a team. You are my word, you are my life and.."

"Babe. I love you too." The blonde soon opened her eyes slowly and let out a soft smile seeing the beautiful curly haired woman before her. She wasn't angry and she also knew very well that they needed to talk.

"I didn't want to wake you baby." Lena graciously placed her hand inside the blondes squeezing it tightly.

"MM no love you didn't I was sort of up anyway. Didn't really sleep much last night. I was just so worried.."

She admitted now sitting up and rubbing her forehead but looking around for she realized Callie was no longer attached to her. Lena noticed the look of concern on the blondes face.

"Callie's eating breakfast. I made her some pancakes."

"How is she love?" she asked relieved.

"She seems ok. But no recollection of last night. No fever, nothing. That has me a bit worried."

"She doesn't remember last night at all?" the blonde asked in a confused tone.

"Nope. Unless she's lying but it honestly seems like she's not."

"Well, that's strange. She was pretty upset last night and that fever of 102 was no joke." The blonde shook her head remembering how worried both her and Lena had been.

"Stef, I hate to say this but do you think it has to do with the brain trauma, I mean could it be affecting her short term memory?"

"MM I would hope not. I'd rather it just be her blocking out whatever horrific dream she had about that woman."

"But she doesn't even remember your mother coming in. Nothing Stef. Almost like it never happened."

The blonde let out a sigh as Lena continued to hold her hand even tighter.

"I guess we should make an appointment with her doctor. See if he can maybe get her in today or tomorrow. Just to be sure.I don't want to take any chances with this in case it's something more." Lena could only let out a concerned look as the blonde gently lifted up the slims woman's hand to her mouth and softly placed a kiss on it.

"I'm sure it's nothing baby. Try not to worry my love." she winked but not really admitting that she was worried as well. Callie was doing well, very well in fact and she didn't want the young girl to have another set back.

"Ok, I hope your right. I just don't know how much more she can take before she runs or tries to run again."

"I know love. We will just watch her even more. That's all we can do. Watch her and make sure shes ok." Stef reassured as she could clearly see more panic and worry on Lena's face then ever.

"What is it my love?"

"Stef, I um. About last night when I came over.."

"Lena I know it's something we need to talk about, and if you want a baby with me.."

"As much as I do I know you don't. And I know it's a horrible time. I know." Lena interrupted as she eyes locked with the blondes.

"No love I wasn't going to say that. Listen.." The cop began as she gently held Lena's cheek in her hand. Last night had given her a lot to think about it really had. Not that she had come to a definite decision but she wanted to make Lena happy and she wanted to be honest and open at the same time. Stef had to trust herself, and trust her feelings, and this relationship. She had to believe that whatever she was really feeling that her and Lena could work it out for this was the woman she was going to marry, this was the woman she was going to spend the rest of her life with, and this was the woman that was also Callie's mother. They had to set an example for the young teen and each other.

"Stef its ok.."

"Baby let me finish. Please love."

Lena nodded her head as she prepared herself for what the blonde was going to say. So what if she didn't want a baby. She could handle it. She would just suck it up. Or she would just believe or try to believe it wasn't meant to happen, that she really didn't want one in the first place. Loosing Stef to her wasn't an option but could she live with this? Would she be resentful toward her and would it damage their relationship, and marriage. The brunette just wasn't sure.

"I'm worried about having a baby Lena. It's not that I don't want one, I mean at first I just wasn't sure and I still have my doubts. I just see how you are with Callie so nurturing and loving and protecting and she adores you. She adores you so much and she loves you so much. I just can only imagine what a wonderful mother you will be to a baby. I don't even know If I can measure up." she joked but it was anything but that for the cop was dead serious and still doubted herself as a parent.

"What?" Stef you're not serious?"

"I don't know Lena. I've never even held a baby." her face cracking an embarrassed smile.

"So, I'll teach you. There are many people that have never held a baby before love. And do you not see how much Callie adores you? Stef, you are very nurturing, you are extremely protective in ways I can never ever be. You make Callie feel safe. Safer then anyone. Baby.."

It was now Lena who gently placed her hand on Stef's cheek moving her face so there eyes met. The brunette could see the worry and fear written all over her face and just couldn't understand why she still doubted herself as a mother so much.

"Stef, there is no one on this earth I want to have a baby with other then you. No I don't want to do something that would make you feel uncomfortable or unhappy, or force you to..

"Lena. No. We are getting married. I mean we are getting married for a reason because we want to spend the rest of our lives with one another. Literally I can't imagine not waking up next to you every morning and seeing you everyday for the rest of my life. That is what I want more then anything but I'm just worried that I won't be the parent I want to be to this baby. I just don't know if I have the energy to stretch myself that far honey. I mean, I want to do everything for you, and I want you to be happy and God only knows I know this would make you so happy my love. I know it would. " The cop swallowed hard as she looked into the glassy eyes of her fiance.

"It's ok Stef, I know it's too much and.."Lena's eyes continued to water as Stef could only continue to speak even more softly.

"What I'm saying is, can we settle in a just a little bit. Just a couple of months until we get married and Callie is adopted, and we talk to her. I just want to make sure my mind is in the right place and where it needs to be."

"Honey, I don't need a baby. It's ok Stef..

"Lena my love. Don't lie. I know how much you want this my love. I know and I have always known. I won't deny you of that because I wouldn't be able to live with that. I sometimes forget that I don't need to handle everything on my own, I forget that I have other people. I want to give this to you my love. I know I physically can't give you a child even if I wish I could but I want to be there for you. I want your dreams to come true my love because I love you, I love you more then you will ever ever know." the blondes eyes were now tearing as she held Lena's hand tighter then before. Lena herself was speechless as she leaned into softly kissing the blondes lips once again for she couldn't believe how truly amazing she was.

* * *

As Callie sat enjoying the last bit of her pancakes and stealing a mugful of black coffee from her mother's untouched blue mug she was startled by a noise behind her and quickly put the mug down.

"Well you better pour me a cup." Sharon said walking sleepily into the kitchen to join the young girl at the table.

"I was only taking a sip, you know testing it." Callie lied but Sharon could see right through her and could only let out a chuckle.

"Relax kid I wont tell if you wont tell. Now pour me some."

The young teen smiled as she poured Sharon a hot cup of black coffee and taking sips once again herself.

"So honey how you feeling this morning. Pretty rough night huh?"

"I guess but I don't know what everyone is talking about." the girl shrugged.

"Well you had some fever last night and a terrible nightmare. You're mama searched the apartment a few times to make sure that horrible woman wasn't here." the red head took another sip of her black coffee.

"What woman?" Callie questioned looking even more confused which Sharon soon realized.

"Well from what I remember you had a dream about that terrible Justina woman. The who I would personally like to put behind bars."

" I did? I don't remember and I don't remember having a fever. I feel fine grandma." she insisted and tried to recall the dream but couldn't for the life of her for she knew if she had dreamt of Justina that is certainly one dream she would remember. She always remembered those.

"Well then we won't worry about it. I'm just glad you're feeling better. I hate to see my baby sick." She winked even if the fact that Callie had no recollection of what happened last night bothered her as the young teen looked into her eyes.

"You think somethings wrong with me that I don't remember? I mean I always remember those."

"No, no. Don't worry about that honey." she said placing her hand on the girls knee trying to reassure her. " We won't give that horrendous women anymore attention then she's already had.

The teen slowly nodded her head as she pushed Justina's face out of her mind for seeing her that day was enough for her.

"I hope I never run into her again. Or if I do that mama is with me." Callie looked down at her coffee mug as she soon felt Sharon grab her hand.

"She can't touch you ever again honey. Don't let her scare you because people like that are bullies. They thrive off making other people scared when in reality they are the weak and scared ones. They always have to have a sense of control in order to feel good while making others feel bad. Its terrible. You will always be a strong girl, and a girl with so much heart and love for everyone. That women, she doesn't have a ounce of goodness in her. Not one drop. You hear?" the teen nodded her head in agreement.

"Is that how you feel about Frank?" Callie soon found herself asking. " I mean is that why you don't want mama to see him?"

Sharon surprised at the question couldn't help but look down in her coffee mug. She wanted to be honest with her soon to be granddaughter but was finding it difficult to use the right words. Frank was such a difficult subject for he had done enough damage to her and Stefanie's relationship but she couldn't allow him to take full blame.

"Callie, baby there are many reasons I don't want your mother to see him. Even if I know why she wants to. He's just not a good person, not a good father, unfortunately and I don't want him to say things that would hurt her. I know she is a strong woman, she is an exceptionally strong woman but as her mother I just, well, have to protect her. I can't help it."

"I understand. I wouldn't want her to get hurt either. But she might not listen to you."

"Well, that I know. I could never stop her from doing what she wanted."

"Grandma, she forgives you." Callie said looking into the red heads eyes as Sharon's grew softer."

"What honey?"

"Mama forgives you. I think she knows it was hard then and it wasn't easy for you. I think she gets it. I mean I think it was hard for her when you first showed up but I can see she really forgives you and loves you. No one's perfect Grandma."

"Thank you honey. You truly are an angel aren't you?" she could only smile at the girls warm words.

"To some maybe." Callie laughed. "But not to all."

"Oh don't you worry about those foster homes you were in. None of them because you will never ever been in another one again. Like I told you before you're stuck with us kid and you are an angel to all of us. Remember that my girl. Always." She said leaning in and kissing her forehead.

"I will Grandma."

"Now we need to focus on is this wedding and what everyone is going to wear. Lord knows I won't get my daughter in a dress. Hell would have to freeze over." she said rolling her eyes as the teen let out of laugh.

"I doubt it. Mama hates dresses. I've never even seen her in a skirt. Just jeans and plaid. Mostly she wears her uniform."

"Oh I know. Believe me when she was a teenager that was all she would wear jeans and plaid. It was almost plastered on her."

"I could believe it. What was she like?" The teen questioned.

"Same as she is now to be exact. A pain in my ass." she chucked as Callie busted out laughing. Sharon shook her head as a smile graced her face as she thought back to her daughter in her younger years.

"So we need to start looking for a dress for you as well."

"I hate dresses. I'll wear whatever mama does." Callie said smiling as she stuffed the last bit of pancakes in her mouth.

"Good lord. I have two of you to deal with. Only me." She winked at the young girl as they both took sips of their coffee.


	48. 13

**So it seems we all agree that Callie definitely feels more like 13 then 15.**

 **A wonderful reader, Sharod, (Thank you!) gave me an amazing idea on how to introduce Callie's age change. Thank you!**

STEF POV

Only a few days had passed since my daughter's horrible nightmare that she had somehow forgotten. Both Lena and I had taken her to the neurologist that had originally treated her but after running numerous test and to our relief her scans came out perfectly clear indicating there was no issue that would result in any memory loss. This lead us and the doctor to believe that Callie's past, and not just her time with Justina, was most certainty continuing to influence her in negative ways despite the help she was currently getting. I knew then we needed to do much more for her in order for her to get well.

Nonetheless, Lena and I decided to change Callie's therapist in hopes that a new perspective would be of some help to her but she was most certainly not shy about giving either of us a hard time about going, especially me. Yes we had bumped head many times in the last few months, and I was happy that she was comfortable with me but it did not excuse the attitude she would give me at certain times would I would certainly not let fly. I was well aware that Callie was just a teenager,and I was relieved that she finally started to believe that neither of us would give up on her, but I was constantly grounding her for her back talking and stubbornness. Yes, maybe she was testing my patience still, and maybe she wanted to see how far she could really go with me believing that one day I would snap on her. But that would in no way ever happen and I would just continue to have patience with her and disciplining her the best way I knew how. I hated grounding her, I hated being strict and stern with her but I just had no choice as her mother. That was just how it was I thought to myself as I drove the two of us to the new therapist.

"I don't understand why I have to go to some stupid doctor again. I'm not crazy mama." My daughter argued as her tone of voice was yet again annoying the hell out of me.

"Callie, my love, I know you're upset about everything but I've told you to watch you're tone more then once." I said in a somewhat stern voice as I heard a sigh come from her once again. Glancing in her direction quickly I saw her glaring out the window as she had her arms folded across her chest. She was definitely defensive and giving me a harder time then unusual. Patience Stef, patience I whispered to myself.

"And sweets I never said you were crazy and I don't think you're crazy my babygirl. Mom and I just think that talking to someone new about things can't hurt love."

"Why can't I for once decide what is best for me. Why do I always have to have other people doing it."

"Callie, there are some things that as your mother I have to decide for you. That's just the way it is right now honey. You're not an adult."

"I've made alot of adult decisions my whole life Stef." I turned my head a bit to look at her as she had uttered my first name which she only used when she was particularly irritated with me.

"I'm sure you have honey but you no longer need to. It was unfair that you had to make those decisions at such a young age. Very unfair."

"No what's unfair is that I don't decide your life or dictate what you should do. But you get to do that about mine." she said more annoyed then the first time as her arms remained across her chest.

I quickly glanced in her direction once again as my patience was almost at its wits end. This kid was going to be the death of me and I had to get my frustration under control. I needed Lena at this moment for sure.

"Callie, I won't warn you again about your tone of voice with me. And no you don't get to dictate my life because I'm an adult. You are not an adult yet, far from it, and right now at the age you are there are things that I am going to decide for you. So accept it. End of discussion."

By this point she was silent as I drove into the parking lot of the doctors office. Turning the car off I faced her as she remained looking out the window.

"Callie look at me." I ordered.

"Why?" her tone still very much disrespectful.

"Because I said so Callie. Look at me now young lady."

Slowly and hesitantly she turned her eyes to look at me which were consumed with nothing but frustration. My daughter could be the sweetest thing ever but once she became defiant it was like dealing with another person all together.

"Cals, I am doing this for your benefit. To help you which I have explained to you many times my love. You have to trust me. You have to trust Lena."

"But I'm fine and I'm not going to some new stupid doctor again so he can tell me I'm crazy and make me stay home another 2 weeks missing everything just because of some dumb dream I had that I can't remember! I already go to group which you make me do."

"Callie you go to group because it's important. All of these things are important for your well being. We can't stress that enough."

"I'm not going! And if you want to go so bad then you go!" she yelled furiously storming out the car and slamming the door behind her and without any hesitation I jumped out the SUV and stormed after her gently grabbing her arm.

"Callie Stefanie Marie!" I yelled."What!" she yelled turning around.

"Hey you watch your mouth!" her eyes lowered to the ground but she was fuming as was I.

"Look at me Callie Stefanie Marie. You look at me right now!"

Her eyes once again looked to me as she was ready to explode.

"Listen to me, I told you about walking away from me when I'm speaking to you young lady. And I've told you more then once to watch how you talk to me. Now, you're going in there regardless so you better quit that attitude you have with me and get you're butt in shape before I drag you in there myself! I am in no mood to argue with you about this any longer Callie. Is that understood?" I shouted myself. If she wasn't stubborn then I don't know who was as she furrowed her eyebrows looking to me. It was true only a few months ago when we first met she would never dare to mouth off to me the way she had been lately. She certainly didn't mouth off to Lena either, but I knew she did it to me for more then one reason as frustrating as that was. It seemed the closer Callie and I got the more we bumped heads. Was it really because we were so much alike? Or was it really because she was close to me and felt comfortable to be herself and vent her frustration to me.

"Callie is that understood?" She let out a sigh as my eyes remained locked on her face my voice still remaining very stern.

"Callie? Don't make me say it again. Do not test my patience miss."

"Fine! It's understood. Ok! I'll do what you say for the 100th time." with this she stormed away from me yet again to the building. This kid was surly going to turn me old real fast as I heard my phone begin to buzz for the third time in the last five minutes. Annoyed I looked to the screen and picked it up as I made my way inside the building.

"Yes?" I answered as I saw my daughter sitting in the waiting room pouting with her arms folded once again.

"Stef its Margaret."

"Oh yes, hi Margaret. Is everything ok?" I asked realizing it was Callie's adoption lawyer.

"Do you have a minute?"

"Um sure, what's wrong is something wrong with Callie's adoption papers?"

"No you filled everything out ok. You and Lena both but there is just one thing."

I swallowed hard.

"Yes." I questioned nervously.

"Callie is not 15."

"What? What do you mean shes not 15?" My eyes bugged out.

"Something with her paperwork from the Midwest. We really aren't sure how any of this happened."

"Well if she isn't 15 how old is she?" I inquired hesitantly.

"She's 13."

"13? How can they mess up two years? I don't understand."

"We don't either Stef, but its true. She's not 15 at all and I'm afraid there is more."

I let out a loud sigh as I looked into the window to see Callie playing with her phone.

"Yeah?"

"Callie's birth parents never signed there parental rights away."

"What? What do you mean they never signed there rights away? That can't be I saw it in the paperwork myself."

"I know I did to but those were incorrect. I mean whoever filled these things out for her messed up big time. This new file just landed on my desk this morning."

I continued to shake my head and placed my hand over my forehead.

"What does this mean? Does this mean I can't adopt her?" I asked beginning to panic as my eyes looked to my daughter as she still was heavily focused on her phone. Now that I looked to her she really did look younger then 15 and it explained alot.

"No you certainly can still adopt her but in order to do that we need to have both of her parents sign there rights away. The process just might take a little longer then we hoped, and maybe a little more complicated."

I let out a loud sigh.

"Stef listen. According to the file on my desk both of her parents were contacted. Her father though doesn't seem even remotely interested."

"Ok and what about her mother?" I swallowed hard.

"She has requested to see Callie Stef."

"Listen, I understand she's Callie's birth mother but I'm not just going to let my daughter see her without me being there. I don't know who she is, and according to Callie's papers both of her parents were drug addicts."

"I know and I understand that and I would promise you that it would be supervised. But unfortunately we can't even assume that Callie's file is all correct. Listen Stef, I have to go through a lot of paper work, fact check and make a ton of phone calls. But I just wanted to let you know what was going on. We will solve this."

"Are you sure she's 13?"

"That yes I am sure of. Listen I will be in contact. Give me a couple of days, and try not to worry. Things like this happen unfortunately."

It was then my heart sank. It was not enough that I had to tell my daughter she was two years younger then we all thought but I had to go in there and explain to her about her parents. This just opened a whole new can of worms on top of everything else. How in the hell was I going to do this.

* * *

 **NOTE: I think we all know Justina is behind this.**


	49. Forever

CALLIE POV

As I stormed inside the waiting room of my new therapist I knew I was in deep shit for back talking and for walking away from mama once again after she had already told me a million times to stop doing it. I honestly didn't mean to talk back to her or be disrespectful and I knew she was really mad but I hated therapy and I hated group. I just didn't want to talk about my past over and over no matter how helpful people kept telling me it would be. It just wasn't and I just wanted to focus on the future. I didn't want to remember painful things, I didn't want to rehash my horrible life. I just wanted to think about now and how happy I was now with my moms. Taking an empty seat by the water cooler I continued to feel really bad for how I spoke to mama as I took my phone out and texted Lena.

 _Hi mom. Mama and I had a fight. :(_

As I waited for her to respond I pretended to be immersed in my phone as I saw mama standing outside on her phone. For some reason she looked worried or stressed out I thought as I heard my phone ding.

 _Aww about what honey? xoxo MOM_

I quickly texted back taking my eyes off mama.

 _Therapy. I sort of yelled at her again.:(_

 _Oh bug we talked about that. You have to watch your tone of voice. -xoxo MOM_

 _I know. I'm sorry :(_

 _I know you are. Now stop being stubborn and go talk to mama. She loves you. -xoxo MOM_

 _Ok. R we still having dinner with Gran?_

 _You bet. Go talk to mama. -xoxo MOM_

 _Ok. I luv U-xoxo BUG_

 _I love you too sweetheart. -xoxo MOM_

Looking up I closed my phone and saw mama come in and talk to the receptionist. She still looked worried and I was guessing it was related to the phone call. My eyes remained on her as she looked to me and and I quickly diverted my gaze to the floor as she sat next to me with a clipboard.

"Would you like to fill this out yourself?" she asked softly. Usually she always filled out any paperwork related to me and I didn't have to worry about it. But I knew she was asking me because of what I said in the car. I looked up to her and shook my head no as she placed the clipboard back on her lap and began to fill out the information for me. I watched as she had done this so many times before and she knew everything about me. It was only one time she had to ask certain things but after that she never had to ask again. Her or Lena. I think I realized from the very beginning they were my parents for they never seemed to forget what I liked, or small details about me that even I would forget at times. No one before them had bothered to get to know me like they did or had been so invested.

FLASHBACK

 _As my hand remained locked in Stef's as me her and Lena walked around the farmers market I wasn't letting go for anything. I had only been with them for a few days but it felt like forever and I loved being with the both of them more then anything._

 _"Stef why don't we try artichokes." Lena said._

 _"What's an artichoke?" I asked scrunching my face up._

 _"MM you wouldn't like it love. Sometimes it has a mild bitter taste to it. You don't really like those flavors."_

 _It was true I didn't but how in the world did she know that._

 _"That's true. You tend to like things a little more sweeter." Lena said looking over and smiling._

 _I looked back and forth between them both confused._

 _"We know a lot love. We can tell when you like something versus when you're just trying to be polite my baby." Stef said now squeezing my hand as I looked up to her and she let out a wink._

 _"That's right honey but we do know you love barbecue chicken." Lena said continuing to smile._

 _I smiled wide as I did love it._

 _"Yup with creamy mac and cheese I bet." Stef said as my eyes looked up to her once again. "But who doesn't love mac and cheese huh?"_

 _"I do like mac and cheese." I spoke shyly._

 _"I know you do. You and I have similar taste buds sweets."_

 _"Oh boy then I'm in trouble. If you both like the same things. Trying to keep the junk food at bay will be a challenge for sure." Lena said shaking her head but smiling._

 _"What junk food? Never." Stef joked as I knew she had a secret stash under her bed which we had already began to consume._

 _"In all seriousness my love, the best part about any new relationship is learning about each other. And we just want you to be comfortable to tell us what you like and don't. You won't get in trouble for not liking a certain dinner we make. We want you to tell us baby. That's how we learn about one another. Like the day I learned that you don't like chocolate ice cream." I felt Stef squeeze my hand once again as my eyes shyly looked up into hers. I had almost forgotten about that day when we shared our ice cream with one another. I certainly didn't think she would remember it._

 _"You remember that?" I asked confused._

 _"Of course I do. That's the day I realized you were my little girl."_

 _I could only smile wide as I heard her say that to me but what shocked me even more was what I said next._

 _"That's the day I realized you were my mama."_

 _With that both Stef and Lena stopped walking and I couldn't bare to look at either of them but I soon felt Stef gently place her hand on my chin lifting my face up as hers was softer then ever and she let out a soft smile._

 _"That's the day I wanted to be your mama my love." She softly kissed my forehead as I boldly wrapped my arms around her and hugged her._

 _FLASHBACK ENDS_

As I came out of my memory continuing to watch mama fill out the form I could only begin to fidget out of pure nerves of having to open up about my past once again. My legs began to nervously bounce up and down as I could only look to the floor as I realized my anxiety was more elevated then usual. But that soon calmed a bit as I felt mama place her hand on my knee and my legs stopped instantly as my eyes looked to hers.

"It's ok. Relax my love. I'm here with you." she said letting out a soft smile. I nodded my head and leaned my head against her arm as I felt her kiss the top of my head.

"I'm sorry mama." I whispered as I continued to watch her fill out the form as she wrote Callie Jacobs.

"I know you are. Don't let it happen again. Understood?"

"Yes." I lifted my head up and rubbed my nose on her uniform shirt. She looked down into my eyes and smiled again kissing my nose as I scrunched it up.

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too my girl." she planted three small kisses yet again on my forehead and went back to filling out the form.

"Ma how come you can't write my name as Callie Adams Foster?"

"I would love to honey but legally I can't yet. I can't even write Stefanie Adams Foster for myself yet as much as I would love to." she laughed.

I let out a loud sigh.

"How long is the adoption stuff going to take?" I asked leaning my head back on her arm.

"It will take some time sweetheart but you will be Callie Adams Foster if I have anything to do with it. Don't you worry my love."

"And we will finally have the same last name?"

"Yes we will honey. We all will my baby."

"You promise mama?" I lifted my head up looking into her eyes once again as hers looked more determined then ever.

"I promise my love. I promise." Stef wrapped her arm around me pulled me in for a warm hug.

"Mama?"

"Yes my love?" She questioned as I felt her kiss the top of my head.

"You're my favorite person in the entire world." I whispered.

"And your'e my favorite person too Callie Adams Foster. You always have been my love. Don't ever forget that." she gently pulled away to look warmly in my face as we both exchanged wide smiles.

"I won't." I could only smile wider as I wrapped both my arms around her neck and kissed her cheek a million times.

"Whoa now you love me huh?" she joked as I smelled the vanilla body wash on her.

"Forever mama. Forever and ever."


	50. Therapy

**Enjoy loves!-Stef1981**

"Sit where you like Callie." Dr. Evans said as the young teen hesitantly walked over to the couch and took a seat. Her stomach was jumping around and doing butterfly as she had wanted more then anything for her mother to come in with her. But she knew Stef was right in the fact that she needed to go in alone for now. She needed to start trusting herself and being ok with how she felt and realizing she would be ok. Callie needed to learn comping skills and needed to dig deeper into the anger she was displaying much more often now.

"Would you like a glass of water or anything?"

The teen shook her head. She just wanted to get stared and get out of here as her legs began to bounce up and down again which didn't go unnoticed by Dr. Evans.

"Callie it' s ok. I know this can be very uncomfortable and not exactly the place teenagers brag about going to. We're just here to talk about anything you want." she encouraged placing her pad on the desk to not alarm the girl.

"I don't have anything to say." Callie whispered as she studied the spotless navy carpet.

"Well, why don't you tell me about your morning, or what you did last night. We could start off like that if you would like."

Callie wasn't sure about this lady. She herself couldn't help but notice how young she was. Was she even old enough to be a therapist? Her group therapist was probably older then Stef and her other therapist was probably even older then that. Glancing around the room now she saw numerous plaques on the wall with the woman's accomplishments. Some of the plaques were similar to Lena's.

"My mom has a Doctorate." The teen soon expressed as she studied the plaques.

"Oh really? That's a wonderful accomplishment."

"Shes's smart."

Dr. Evans smiled.

"I am sure she is. How do you feel about her?" she inquired.

"About Lena?" Callie looked both confused and suspicions.

"Yes."

"Well I love her obviously. I love her and mama."

"It's ok Callie I only asked because I didn't want to assume your feelings. I just want to get to know a tiny bit of how you feel. If you aren't comfortable answering its fine too. You can say pass. Is that a deal?" She said softly and Callie soon nodded her head.

"Sorry I didn't mean to bite your head off."

"It's ok. No harm done."

"So is Lena, I mean is your mom a therapist?"

"No shes's my Vice Principle."

"Oh wow. That must have its advantages." She smiled.

"I'm not sure yet. I haven't been back at school yet." The teen shrugged.

"Why is that?"

"Doesn't it say in your file about me?" The teen asked annoyed and Dr Evans let out a soft expression. She could see the young girl had many issues especially regarding trust with adults. She could also see that Callie was a sweet girl but was very insecure and lacked confidence. Yes she knew of Callie's past based on what Stef and both Lena told her but she wanted to hear what the young girl had to say for she wanted her to speak for herself.

"It says only a little. Not much. I prefer to hear what my patients say rather then a file."

"Some stuff happened to me and I had to stay out of school to get better." Callie expressed vaguely.

"I see. I understand. Must be hard not being in school or missing it. You must miss your friends."

"Not really. I never get a chance to make any."

"Well I think when you return in a few days you will. Sometimes it takes time and that's ok."

"Mama says that to me all the time."

Dr. Evan placed her pad down once again after scribbling the words Mom and Mama down.

"Well she sounds very smart as well."

"She is. She's a cop."

"Yes, I saw her in her uniform. Very brave profession."

"Mama's the bravest person ever." Callie said with determination.

"She looks very brave." Dr. Evan expressed as she instantly noticed Callie's change in demenour for she was now very much on guard.

"How do you feel about her?"

"Huh? Why are you asking me this again. I already told you. I love her."

"Yes you did tell me. But how do you feel about her?" Dr. Evans crossed her legs.

The teen soon began to play with her fingers something she did only when she was uncomfortable. Why did this woman need to know so much and what was she looking to here as she now let out a sigh frustration. How she deeply felt about Stef was non of her business.

"Pass."

Dr. Evans wasn't surprised at the teens response. From what she witnessed and heard from both her mother's during there own meeting about the girl, she knew Callie was very protective of Stef. The relationship she had with her was one she had always wanted from a kid and she cherished it, but at the same time she was so afraid, so deathly afraid that it would somehow get taken away from her for fear that she just didn't deserve it. It was why she at some moments acted out toward the blonde. But getting Callie to admit that, even if she was aware of it, it would be a challenge.

"You know Callie some relationships are so special that we can't attach words to them."

"Or we don't want to share anything about them with people we don't know." Callie said annoyed. She knew Stef taught her better then to behave this way but she was just frustrated.

"Yes, that can be it too."

"Listen, I just want you to think about a few things. Can you do that?"

Callie sighed again as she blew air through her mouth. "Yeah?"

"Are you afraid to be open about your mama Callie?"

"I'm not afraid of anything. I told you I love her. I love her more then I have ever loved anyone. She is my friend and she takes care of me and she does so many things for me that no one ever has. I wish that..."

The teen could feel her eyes begin to swell and it was making her angry. This was not suppose to happen. She wasn't suppose to come in here and break. But why was she? She was getting adopted, Stef and Lena were getting married and she would be Adams Foster. She was happy. She was leaving her past behind. Or was she?

"What do you wish Callie?"

"I wish you would stop prying into my brain and get me talk about my stupid past! That's what I wish!" the teen yelled as she stood up and walked to the window. Her hands in fists as she could see the clear blue ocean water from the office window. She wanted to run into it. She wanted to jump into it and run from this place.

"Callie we don't have to talk about your past at all."

Silence remained for a bit as Dr. Evans though intelligently of what to say next. Callie was very angry about her past and how it had robbed her. So angry that she repressed it as much as she could. Another reason for her outbursts.

"Callie what's making you angry?" She could see the girl was trying so hard not to cry. But her face was so red. "What do you wish?"

"Why do you even care. Because you're getting paid?" The teen turned to look at Dr. Evans angrily.

"No. I don't do this for money Callie. I do this because I care and want to help. That's honestly my only goal here. I want you to have a happy life with your moms. I want you to realize things that are troubling you and I'm hoping I can help you get past things or learn how to deal and cope with them. That is all. Money is not my objective. I know it might take a few sessions for you to believe that, but that's ok. It's part of the process and takes how ever long it takes."

"Can we be done. I don't want to talk anymore." Callie said calmly.

"Sure. But before you go I want you to take something." Dr. Evans said now getting up and grabbing a small journal from her desk. Callie looked to it confused.

"I want you to take this. I wrote a few questions in it that I want you to answer. There is no right or wrong answer it's just something for you to think about it. This is yours and you don't need to share it with anyone if you wish. Just think about the questions and try to be as honest as possible with yourself. It's not for me to read it's for you. Can you do that?"

The teen took the book and nodded.

"I guess."

"Ok. I hope to see you again Callie."

The teen nodded as Dr. Evans opened the door for her and Callie seeing her mother sitting in the waiting room ran to her almost as if she didn't expect her to still be there. As Dr. Evans witnessed the exchange between the young teen and her mother she knew they had a tone of work to do and she was very aware that the young girl deserved every bit of the life that the two women were providing her.


	51. She Doesn't Need This

**Enjoy loves! I may go back and add a bit more to this possibly!-Stef1981**

LENA POV

Well, I think faint yellow and blue daisies are beautiful colors." Sharon said as her and my mother continued to argue over the colors of our wedding flowers which Stef, Callie, and I had already decided but they refused to acknowledge.

"Oh no. We need something much more elegant. That won't work. Not at all." My mother debated.

"And why not?" Sharon questioned defensively now putting her hand on her hips. I knew this wasn't going to get any better as my I shook my head. These two were giving me a headache.

"Because it is not classy enough my dear. We can't have daisy's. Goodness lord."

"Whoa...classy? Are you trying to say I have no class because let me tell you...

"Enough! You two are driving me crazy and I don't remember this being your wedding! Stef and I have already picked out our colors and our flowers! We are doing light pink and light orange and that's the end of it! Please!"

"Pink and orange? Oh honey do you really..." My mother began but I quickly cut her off.

"Yes mom I do! We are having lily's and tulips. Simple like me and Stef. So please. Hush!"

"Ok. My lips are sealed as my opinion." My mother voiced lifting her hands up.

"Don't hurt yourself honey." Sharon chimed in and all I could do was roll my eyes at there bickering. They had been bickering from the time they got here a few hours ago and it was doing nothing for my nerves! It was no secret that neither of them got along with each other for they were just so different that it clashed beyond words. But they needed to understand and really understand that this wedding wasn't about them. It was about me and Stef. And it was about me, Stef and Callie becoming a family legally for it had taken as months to get here and it had taken Stef and I time as well. But I knew it, I knew from the very beginning that she would be my wife for there was no one else on this earth I wanted to spend the rest of my life with more then her.

FLASHBACK

 _"I can't believe you actually hit all the darts." I said smiling as Stef and I walked along the boardwalk at the San Diego Fair. It was our first date and I was feeling giddier then a twelve year old girl going out with her crush which was ridiculous considering I was closer to 40. But it was true, and I couldn't hide that fact despite feeling hesitant as I wasn't sure how this date was going to go. It was no secret to either me or Stef that we sort of started our relationship in a haphazard and backwards way of sleeping together first. That had been a golden rule I never wanted to break but, she was different, we were different and I knew that from the moment we first talked in that coffee shop._

 _"Course I won. Did you think I wouldn't?" she expressed confidently while biting into a zeppole. "Plus I wanted to win you that bear." she winked as my face began to blush._

 _"I don't think anyone has ever won one of these for me." I smiled shyly and admired her humor holding the blue bear._

 _"Well there's a first time for everything and I'm glad I was the first." she said as I looked over to her and let out a smile as our hands dangled closer to one another's as I felt her slide her hand into mine. It was warm, it was very strong and protective as she squeezed my hand softly._

 _"Lena, I hope you're having a good time." she softly spoke as I also saw a hint of shyness in her eyes as her beautiful long blonde hair blew in the air._

 _"I am Stef. I really am. The night is beautiful and freeing...and I love being with you." I admitted as she now stopped. For a second I thought it was something I said until she looked behind me._

 _"Come lets sit on the bench."_

 _Gently her hand remind in mind and she guided me to the bench first inspecting it to make sure it was clean. I smiled at her gesture as we both sat side by side._

 _"I'm having a good time with you too Lena."_

 _I watched as she dug in her zeppoli bag once again._

 _"Here bite." she placed the fried dough to my mouth as I bit it. I loved eating after her as I could feel the sugary powder fall down my mouth. Stef let out smile as she wiped it with her soft hand and gently leaned in to kiss me as I blushed once again._

 _"Thank you." I said shyly._

 _"You're welcome baby." she smiled gracing my face gently with her hand once again as my heart could only buzz and the affectionate word she just called me._

 _"Stef?" I questioned as I couldn't help but stare at her profile. It was so strong and beautiful and often left me speechless as I felt her soon rub my thigh with her hand._

 _"Yeah my love?"_

 _"Will you stay over tonight? I mean only if you want. I just..." Swallowing hard I could feel the lump in my throat for maybe I was being too bold but I just didn't want this night to end. "I just want to be close to you."_

 _"Lena, I would love to make love to you tonight if I'm honest with myself. I miss feeling you baby." Her eyes continued to stare into mine as she ran her fingers up and down my arm. That touch gave me chills as I could feel my center become wet. "Would that be ok my love?"_

 _Her voice was so sensitive as her touch continued to turn me on as she now leaned into my ear._

 _"I want to lick that pretty pussy of yours again." she whispered as I fully blushed now. Her boldness was addicting and extremely attractive as she let out a wink at me. This woman did things to me no one ever had and I would continue to let her for she had me forever._

FLASHBACK ENDS

Coming out of my memory I heard my mother and Sharon at it again. This time over food as I heard my phone buzz. Grateful for the distraction I glanced over to it happy that it was Stef. She was one of the only people I wanted to talk to I thought as I picked up the phone and quickly walked out the apartment completely unnoticed by the two bickering women.

"Hey honey I'm so glad you called!" I said now taking a seat on Stef's patio.

"Hey my love. How's it going over there. I'm taking not well?"

"Stef these two are like oil and water. They argue about everything. You wouldn't believe it."

"I could believe it. We both have overly opinionated mother's babe."

"This is true I don't know how I didn't expect that. But enough about me did you and Callie make up?" I asked curiously.

"Oh she told you about that huh?" I heard her laugh.

"Yeah. She texted me a little while ago. She felt bad about it love."

"Yes we made up. Don't we always." As I listened more to her voice I could tell something was wrong. I could always tell with her.

"Whats wrong honey? Is Callie ok? I mean I know she was upset about seeing the therapist. Did it go ok?"

"I'm sure it's fine she's still in there."

"Ok. Then what's wrong? I can here it in your voice baby."

I heard her let out a loud sigh on the other end and I knew for sure it was definitely something not good.

"Margaret called me Lena."

"Oh. Is everything alright with Callie's adoption papers?" I questioned beginning to feel a little nervous.

"I didn't want to tell you this over the phone. But I can't sit her another minute dealing with this alone." Stef's voice was panicked which it rarely ever was.

"Baby what is it? Please tell me." I swallowed hard as I anxiously waited for her to spill what was going on.

"She's 13 Lena."

"Who's 13?" I asked confused.

"Callie."

"What...what do you mean?"

"Somehow her files were wrong, and there was some sort of mix up. It led them to be off by her age. It's insane."

"Two years off? That's ridiculous."

"You're telling me. But it get's better."

"Oh goodness. What?"

"Apparently her birth parents never signed away there rights. Her birth father doesn't seem to have any interest in her but her birth mother wants to see her."

With this I was silent as I could only shake my head for Callie had enough going on and this was last thing she needed was any of this.

"This is the last thing she needs Stef."

"Who are you telling. I don't even know what to say about any of this. How in the hell are we going to tell her she's 13. How do you tell anyone that. And how are we suppose to tell her about her birth mother. I'm still just trying to wrap my head around this whole damm thing."

I could only shake my head as I let out a low sigh myself.

"We will just tell her together honey like we do everything else. We will get through this as a family my love. As the Adams Fosters." I smiled.

"Lena I'm worried." I heard her shockingly admit.

"Oh baby what are you worried about? I told you we will all get through this." I expressed with determination as my partner remained silent for a few moments.

"Stef talk to me honey. Please."

"What if her birth mother wants her and challenges the adoption. What if we loose our baby Lena?"

"Stef you are Callie's mother and always will be. No ones going to take our daughter away and if she tries we will just have to fight her in court if it comes to that."

"Where did she come from Lena? After all this time. Where did she come from?"

"I don't know my love. I don't know."


	52. I Lost Her

STEF POV

 _"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Foster. We did everything we could. But, there is no heartbeat."_

 _Those were the last words I heard. Those were the last words that my brain had been able to process for nothing else seemed to enter my mind. Time had stopped at those words, time had frozen, time had ceased to exist. In fact everything had ceased to exist. Even me. At this moment I felt like my life was gone and I wasn't within my body any longer as I sat in the passenger side of the car as Mike drove us home from the hospital. I had been there for a week and had been four months pregnant when a few days ago I woke up to horrible pain, the worst pain of my life with a fever and the worst of all hemorrhaging. Mike had rushed me to the hospital immediately and it was then we were told. We were told she was gone. Mikeyla Foster._

 _"We can always adopt Stef. You know there are a lot of options. It doesn't mean we can't ever have children."he said softly placing his hand on my leg as my head lead back and my eyes stared mindlessly into the passing landscape._

 _"Yeah." Was all my mouth would allow to come out for I just couldn't put a sentence together a_ _s he continued his best to comfort me. But what was I going to say? How was I going to respond. He didn't know about the little tiger blanket I had bought her and the little stuffed elephant. All things I would take back or donate to anyone that would take the burden off my shoulders._ _I had found them in the store only a few weeks ago when I had come out of my first trimester thinking things would be ok this time. Thinking things would be different. But my body had betrayed me once again and I was realizing that I just wasn't meant to be a mother._

 _For a month after the miscarriage I laid in my bed. Motionless unable to do anything. I slept, all I did was sleep the days and nights away for nothing mattered to me. Not even myself for I wasn't able to face life._

 _"Stef you gotta eat. I made some soup." I felt him touch my arm as my eyes looked passed him._

 _"I'm not hungry. I just want to be left alone Mike."_

 _"Everyone's worried about you. Especially me. I mean what can I do? Tell me what I can do?"_

 _"Please just leave me alone. I don't feel like talking." Gently he placed his hand on my arm again and I turned over not wanting to feel his affection._

 _"You never let me touch you anymore. And it's not since we lost the baby. Do I have the cooties Stef? I mean what is it?"_

 _"Is it a crime that I don't want to be touched. I told you to just leave me alone. Please!"_

 _Mike would ask me over and over. But I just had no response for him for I didn't know the right answer to any of his questions for I was still questioning my sexuality and it was more then just losing Mikeyla. It was much more then that but my mind was just not in the right place to deal with any of it. Or to realize what the deep down problems were. Nonetheless_ _as time went on I went back to work after three months. I did and tried to heal as best as I could as I accepted my fate for that was all I could do as I continued to watch life pass me by, happiness a thing I would never really know._

Coming out of my memory I held the little tiger blanket and stuffed elephant in my hand. I had not given it away. I had kept it in a box hidden even from Lena and myself and not taking it out until now. Gently I rubbed it as I felt tears fall from my eyes morning once again a little girl I never met, a little girl that didn't get to know the world, and a little girl that I never got to be the mother of. Why was all this resurfacing for it had been years and by this time I should be well over this. But I wasn't for the issues surfacing with Callie's adoption were enough to lead my mind back to that place. Truth was I didn't know what was going to happen, no one did and it was something even I didn't have full control over. None at all. I had promised this little girl that I would be her mother, that I would never let anything ever happen to her again, that no one would take her from me, and that her last name would be Adams Foster. I had promised her that every single day and if for some reason that promise was broken I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't know how I would face her, I didn't know how I would face this again or where I would get the energy from. But I knew no matter what happened, even if Callie's biological mother tried to challenge this adoption that I was in no way going down without a fight. Ever for that little girl was my daughter and always would be.

"There you are. Everyone's ready Stef." I heard Lena say as I quickly tried to shove the blanket and elephant back in the box and wiping my face. But I was never good at hiding from Lena and I knew she probably already could sense something was wrong.

"Honey what's that?" she said kneeling next to me as I tried to shield my face.

"Nothing love just some old stuff." I sniffled trying to hide the tiger and elephant but she gently put her hand over mine and took the items softly from my hands. My eyes slowly looked into her eyes as hard as it was for they were fully red and tear stained.

"Oh baby what's wrong? What is this stuff?"

My tongue was tied for I knew if I said anything I would break down.

"Nothing love. Just some old stuff. "

"Then why are you crying honey. Please don't hide from me. Please." Gently she placed her hand on my cheek rubbing it with her thumb. It was so hard for me to hide from Lena for she my heart from day one and there was nothing I couldn't tell her I had learned even If I tried so hard to protect her. Protect her even from myself.

"It's nothing honey. It's silly." I turned away.

"I doubt that sweetheart. Who's stuff is this love?"

I couldn't look at her. I couldn't bare to look at her as she turned my face once again to look into her warm and sensitive eyes.

"Stef. Baby please say something?"

I swallowed hard as tears fell from my cheeks.

"Baby it's ok. Just tell me honey. Please sweetheart talk to me." she gently wiped my tears.

"It was my, it was my daughter's." My voice cracking and stuttering.

"Oh honey. I'm so sorry, I 'm so sorry baby." she leaned into me hugging me tight.

"I don't know why I kept it. I don't know why Lena. I just..."

"Its ok baby. It's ok. You don't need to explain anything. Nothing at all." She whispered into my ear as I leaned into her even more feeling her wrap her arms around me even tighter.

"I thought I'd get another chance. I thought.."

"I know sweetheart. I know my love. It's ok. It's ok. Sometimes life, well, just things happen in life that are so unfair. They just are and I can't explain why. I wish I could. I wish I could baby." Her voice remained soft the softest I had ever heard it as I couldn't let go of her as my mind wondered what it would have been like had she been there instead of Mike. If I had responded different, if I had cried into her arms, if I had let her in. If I had would have healed faster and healthier as I felt her rub my back.

"I'm sorry Lena. I don't mean to..."

"My love you have no reason to apologize. You cry as much as you need as much as you need and I will never let you go. Ever. I know you're afraid about loosing Callie but we won't let that happen. We won't my love and you don't always need to be so strong. Let me handle life sometimes baby."

"I can't loose her honey. I can't." My voice still cracking.

"We won't love. We won't."

I wrapped my arms around her even tighter as I buried my face in her neck for I didn't want her to let go of me for anything.


	53. Who Am I?

STEF POV

"13?" Callie said as her eyes looked to me in disbelief. It had been one of the hardest things I would have to tell someone. Someone I was this close to, and that had meant the world to me. That meant the world to me and Lena to be exact. There had just been no easy way to break the news to our little girl, no matter how many times Lena and rehearsed it over and over, or how many times I replayed it in my head. Nothing could really ease the reality of it. Nothing as Lena and I took our usual spots of sitting on opposite sides of our daughter gently holding her hands. I waited for her to pull away but surprisingly she held on tight.

"Yes sweetheart. You are 13 my love." I said once again as saying it the second time proved even more difficult.

"But, how mama? I don't understand." Callie lifted her head up as she glanced into my face with pleading eyes wanting to know the answer so badly. But I couldn't give her one that would make it better, that would justify it or undo it and as her mother that was frustrating.

"I don't know love. Mom and I are trying our hardest to figure out how a mistake like this could happen. We are trying every single thing we could possibly think of my love. But somehow your records weren't correct and they got messed up somehow. It doesn't excuse it but unfortunately things like this happen sweets. They happen much more then they should."

"Callie, we know it is confusing and we can't imagine how you feel. We can try to imagine we can try our hardest bug. But me and mama are here and we will do whatever you need, or what you need to deal with this." Lena's voice was the softest I had ever heard it as I looked into her eyes for Callie's had remained on the floor. The pain and sadness we felt for her was beyond words for there was nothing we could do to fix this. I wanted to fix this, shit did I want to fix this so badly for this little girl had been through hell.

"It's not fair. It's just not."

"I know sweets. I know it's not fair my love." I gently kissed the side of her head squeezing her hand harder then before as we continued to sit in silence for a few more moments.

"Every time I think I'm dealing with something, something else comes and just ruins it. I'm trying so hard. I've been trying so hard. I mean if things like this are going to keep happening whats the point of me trying."

Listening to my daughter say these words hit a nerve in my heart as just as I was about to jump in my fiance took the lead.

"Bug look at me honey." Quietly I sat observing the two most important people in my life as I let Lena comfort our little girl. I could see during the past few weeks how Callie began to trust Lena more and more and nothing made me happier then to see there relationship grow and blossom. She always said that I was Callie's mama always, but she without a doubt was Callie's mom as she took both of Callie's hands turning the girl to face her.

"I will always tell you this. Always Callie. You are a fighter. You are and I will and have always always told you that. You are just like your mama." Lena smiled as I my eyes glanced into hers and I let out a small smile.

"And the thing about a fighter is you can knock them down for a few moments and they get right back up. They show the world what they are made of over and over and over and they push through life and life's challenges. You aren't alone in this Callie. Not one second are you alone in this and we will try to do everything we can to get all your records straight. Me and mama both because we will always fight for you. Ok honey?"

"Ok." I heard her respond quietly.

"And we will get through this just like everything else. Your mama and I have been through a lot of things in life that just, that just weren't fair, and sometimes the only thing that helped us get through it was support. To know that someone was with us."

I couldn't see Callie's facial expression but judging by the sniffles I knew she was crying as I gently began to rub her back. However as I looked to Lena again we both knew there was one more thing we needed to tell her as I let out a low sigh.

"Cals my love there is one other thing we need to talk to you about."

"Ok as if it could get worse." she mumbled.

"Sweets, in order for me and mom to adopt you, your parents need to sign there parental rights away."

Before I could finish she looked up to me panicked as I tried to continue as fast as I could.

"But!" she uttered frantically.

"Let mama finish love. Now I know you were told they did and so were we but that wasn't correct information. They never signed there rights away."

"What?" But what does that mean?"

"Well love it means we need to contact them and have them sign there rights away so that me and mom can adopt you love. And before we do that is that something you are ok with?"

"Yes." She answered back quickly."All I want more then anything is for you to be my moms." she said looking back and forth between the both of us.

"We know honey we just wanted to ask you. We don't want to force anything on you."

"You're not."

"Callie, do you want to see your birth parents?" Lena questioned as Callie soon to looked to her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, your birth mother has expressed interest in seeing honey but.."

"Why? What does she want? After all this time?" Her tone was growing hostile as she cut Lena off which she knew I hated.

"Love your tone and let mom finish." I chimed in seeing her anger continue to grow.

"But I don't want to see her. You're my mama Stef and your my mom Lena! Not some drug addict who left me and didn't think twice about me! No!" she said getting up now.

"Sweets. We know that and no one is even.."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore!" she yelled as I could see she was trying to run away but I quickly got up and grabbed her.

"Callie don't run! We talked about this."

"But what am I supposed to do with this? I don't even know who I am anymore! This is so unfair mama." her eyes were filled with tears as my heart was breaking.

"You want me to tell you who you are honey? Do you love?"

Her face was so upset, so hurt and angry as Lena got up and walked behind her placing her hands on Callie's shoulders.

"You my sweet girl," I began. "You are Callie Stefanie Marie Adams Foster. Yes a mouthful of name but you earned it. And you are my daughter, you are Lena's daughter,you are our daughter. You are not defined by your past or by your birth parents or your miscalculated age. That is not what defines who you are ever. So what you're 13 not 15? OK yes it's unfair, yes it's a pain in the ass. It's a bitch."

"Stef." Lena reprimanded as my eyes looked to her.

"Sorry. It's just Callie this will not destroy you, this will not end your life, this will not kill the person you are working so hard to become and have become because inside you are still the same amazing and wonderful little girl, our princess, no matter what age you are. No matter what. You will stand tall my love and you will get through it. Yes things might change, you might have to change grades but you will handle it. You know how I know this? Because you're our daughter and like mom said you are fighter just like me and Adams Fosters don't run away. You here me?" Gently I wiped her tears away as I could see the doubt written on her face turn mildly to hope, to faith possibly as I knew it was no easy thing to swallow.

"Mama is right honey. She is." Lena said softly as Callie looked up to her with a tear stained face.

"Mama?"

"Yeah love?"

"Can they, what if they don't sign there rights away?"

I swallowed hard as my eyes looked to Lena who's face softened for she knew this was a deep fear of mine as well.

"Love I don't want you to worry about that. If they decide not to sign them then we will petition it in court. But that's not for you to worry about ok? Let us handle this. Yes?" I smiled at her as her face continued to be filled with worry and panic.

"No matter what you will always be my mama Stef." she said with more determination then ever as tears continued to stream down her face even more.

"Come here honey. Come here my babygirl". She ran into my arms as I held her tight tears now falling down my face as I soon felt Lena hold the both of us. It was scary, and it was hard as we just didn't know what the future would hold for we just knew Callie was our daughter and always would be.

* * *

As Justina Marks took a sip of wine she happily looked over Stefanie Fosters and Lena Adams adoption papers for Callie Jacobs. How she got her hands on them was another matter for she warned people that she had her ways, and she had warned the cop she would destroy her life. Now she wasn't out to physically hurt anyone but she wasn't going to let this adoption go through for she had been successful at finding Callie's birth mother so to say. Or was it really Callie's mother she found? Was it really Callie's parents she found? Was the woman she spoke to on the phone countless times and one who requested she wanted to see Callie really her mother?Only Justina knew the truth right now for finding out that part of the girls records had been incorrect was enough to feed this snake and shoot out enough venom to last a lifetime. She relished in it and would watch there so called happy family become weak, and saddened as she now dug deeper into the life of Stef Foster. She didn't have much time for the trial was coming up a trial she was hoping would never happen for if Callie didn't have her so called wonderful mother there or was for some reason no longer in her care she would break. And that was just one of things Justina Marks was trying to do. Now she just needed to find every single piece of information she could about Stef Foster. Anything she could use against her.


	54. Wedding Clothes

The last few days had been anything but stress free for the blonde, young brunette and curly haired woman. All three were trying their best to remain positive as Callie continued to struggle with her age, and the blonde struggled with coming up with every kind of solution to fix the issue. Stef had decided to do her own her detective work as she had hired a private investigator to access Callie's birth parents and Justina Marks even further. She knew something was off as all things seemed in her mind to point in the direction of that woman. They always had. Lena on the other hand being the more level headed of her two loves struggled with making sure the both of them were ok as she meticulously continued to plan their wedding which was a little more then a week away. The cop and curly haired woman had decided it would not be put on the back burner for they needed this and they were determined to become a family. Miraculously both the mother in laws were getting along for once for they knew all that was going on with the small family as it pained them both. Both Dana and Sharon decided the best thing for tonight was a little fun night out of bowling. However, it was like pulling teeth to get Stef and Callie out of the apartment for it was just like these two homebodies to snuggle together and watch Netflicks on the couch while Lena flipped through wedding magazines. To top it off both the cop and young teen had colds which made them both cranky and irritable.

"Stef how about this pants suit? It's simple." Lena suggested handing the magazine to the cop, but as she looked to it she scrunched up her face. It was true she hadn't really looked for anything and knew she needed to for the blonde didn't want Lena to think she didn't care she thought as she took another sip of tea.

"MM no. Looks warm and tight." Handing it back to the curly haired woman her eyes once again focused on the TV as Callie had fallen asleep in her lap passed out from cold meds.

"Stef what's warmer then your uniform honey?"

"Um a teenage girl laying on you." she joked.

"Your mini me love. She's just as stubborn." Lena let out a soft smile as she observed Stef gently stroking Callie's curls.

"But we need to get both of you something honey or you really will be wearing that uniform. Bad enough you live in it already."

"Protect and serve. That's my name honey." she joked as she blew her noise again."I'll find something love don't worry." Stef let out another sneeze as she grabbed another tissue.

"Uhh this cold is a pain in my ass. I don't have time for being sick. I just don't."

"Your body is telling you to relax babe. You work too much." Lena gently rubbed Callie's leg as her feet rested in her lap.

"Why don't you go lay down in the bed honey?"

"MM no. I can't stand being in the bed all day. It makes me feel useless. Ahh chu!" she sneezed once again and blowing her nose. "God what the hell else can come out of my nose!"

"Bless you! Sweetheart, please go lay down." Lena pleaded as she could hear how stuffy her partner was and could feel Callie's warmth as well radiating from her feet.

"Goodness Stefanie you sound like hell. Listen to your soon to wife and go to bed. And take your daughter with you honey. You both look like hell." Sharon yelled from the kitchen as her and Dana sat preparing the seating cards.

"Its nothing mom. It's just a cold."

"Stubborn as a bull. It can turn into a flu you know. Just do as your mother says." the red head said once again.

"She's right Stef. Go on to bed honey. You both need to be well for next week. You don't want to be sick for your wedding my dear." Dana soon chimed in as the blonde still remained seated zoning on the TV. Lena could only shake her head for she knew how Stef was and wasn't going to waste any energy convincing her to do something she knew she wouldn't. Continuing to look through the magazine she spotted another possible outfit.

"What about this one honey. This one looks a bit more airy." Once again she handed the magazine to the blonde who only glanced over this time.

"Ah it's ok. I wanted something with buttons."

"Alright. But time is running out I just want to make sure your not scrambling around the last minute."

"Baby, relax it will be fine. I'll find something for me and Cals." Ah chu!" Sneezing again she moaned as she blew her nose again.

"Bless you again sweetheart." She said placing her hand on Stef's arm gently stroking it.

"I'm wearing what mama wears." A mumble could soon be heard as Callie was fully awake and heard the conversation between her mothers.

"Ahh it speaks." the cop joked grabbing another tissue to blow her nose. She could feel herself getting more and more sick as the minutes passed by as her throat was now burning and her eyes stinging.

"You don't want to wear a dress bug? You would look so beautiful in one." Lena suggested as she rubbed Callie's leg.

"Mmm." the girl could only let out a mumble once again as she snuggled more into Stef's lap for her throat was killing her now as well and she was achy. She too just like Stef didn't want to admit to being sick as she was feeling sicker and sicker.

"Like I said your mini me babe." the slim woman could only shake her head at the two as Stef soon began to rub the young teens warm back.

"You know speaking of dresses I had the pleasure of picking one up for you and Callie." Sharon soon walked in with two garment bags in her hand as both Stef and Lena looked up to her. The blonde clearly annoyed.

"Mom I already told you I'm not wearing a dress."

"Just look at it Stefanie before you make any judgement. Please."

"I agree Stef just look at it before you judge it. You might like it honey." Dana yelled from the kitchen."You too Callie. We know you're awake."

As the young girl slowly rubbed her eyes she lifted herself up and layed her head on Lena's arm who softly kissed her forehead. By this time she felt like she got hit by a truck.

"Cals why don't you see what you got." Lena whispered as the young teen took the bag from Sharon's hands as did her mother. Both her and Stef looked at each other as Callie had no motivation to move.

"Now I know neither of you feel well but just try em on for a second. Least so I know they fit or not. Go on doll faces!" The red head said pointing to the direction of the blondes room as both the teen and blonde struggled to get up.

"Mom I told you I would find my own ...Ah Chu!" she sneezed once again.

"Bless you my dear, but hush up! For once stop being so controlling. I mean goodness child must you fight me on everything?" The red head gently pushed her daughter toward the bedroom as Callie's hands locked with hers.

"Now can I trust you to to try these things on and not throw a fit?"

"Mother I wish you hadn't...

"Stefanie please shut up and open the damm bag. I have never seen someone so difficult."

Callie herself laughed a bit as she sat on the bed feeling exhausted.

"Yeah ma open the..."

"Don't you dare miss." Stef looked to her with a warning.

"I wasn't gonna say it." The young girl chuckled as her voice was just as stuffy sounding as the blondes. "You go first mama." she said now blowing her own noise.

The blonde looking to her mother once again let out a sigh. Hesitantly she began to unzip the bag and expecting to see a white or ivory dress that she would absolutely despise, she was completely surprised when she opened the bag revealing a simple and elegant satin white pants suit. The top a simple button down shirt with small diamond accents and a set of matching classic white pants. It was just what she was looking for as she now looked into her mother's eyes as tears were soon filling her own.

"Mama.." the only word that could come from her mouth.

"Wow mama it's beautiful!" the young teen said marveling at the outfit as she soon felt the soft satin material. "You're going to look beautiful in it."

Stef smiled wide at her daughter and gently kissed her warm forehead.

"Thank you baby."

"Now Stefanie I know that.." the red head began but was soon cut off by her daughter.

"I love it mama. I love it." the cop did love it she loved every bit of it as she soon realized maybe her mother really did know her, maybe she really did understand her more then she could ever realize.

"I told you to trust me. I wasn't going to go out and buy you a dress. It's your day babe. And don't worry the shoes I picked out aren't two high. Two inch strappy sandals."

"Thank you mom. Thank you." she leaned in and hugged her mother harder then ever as she kissed her cheek.

"Your so welcome my baby. You are so welcome. I know I've been annoying about this wedding but I do have your best interest at heart. All of you babygirl."

As both women continued to hug Callie walked over to her own garment bag opening it as a smile soon graced her face. The teens was not a dress either but a more fitted pants suit that was hip and modern enough for a teen her age. The top was an elegant sleeveless shirt laced with little diamond studs that matched her mothers. The pants were cropped and were lined again with the same matching diamonds. The entire outfit Callie just loved for it was just what she wanted as well. Something that matched her mothers but that was hip enough for her age. As she took the entire outfit out of the bag she noticed something at the bottom. Sharon had included ivory ballot flats that weren't too girly along with a beautiful matching hair clip. Callie's eyes began to swell as they now appeared glassy and watery.

"What did you get love?" She soon heard her mother ask as the blonde began to wipe her own tears her hands remaining locked inside her mothers. Callie her eyes still filled with tears slowly lifted up both pieces revealing it to mother.

"Oh love, that is beautiful. Mom where did you..?"

"Don't ask those questions. I have my resources now honey." she soon turned to face the young girl. " Do you like it Callie." she said walking over to the young girl. "Now I know you didn't want to wear a dress I heard you and I know you wanted to match your mama. I figured this was pretty close doll."

By this point the young girl was still stuffy and her throat was on fire but she couldn't help holding the tears in any longer.

"What's the matter doll face?" Gently she placed her hand on the girls arm as the blonde soon walked over as she could clearly see her daughter was ready to explode.

"Baby what's the matters sweets?" Stef asked as she stood next to her young daughter lifting her face up to look into her own glassy eyes.

"Nothing mama,I just, I love it. It's just what I wanted. Thank you Grandma." filled with emotion for it had been a very emotional few days she turned to face the red head. "Thank you so much. Thank you." Callie leaned in wrapping her arms around Sharon as the tears began to stain her shirt.

"Aww you are so welcome my babygirl. You all deserve this so much." she hugged the young girl softly rubbing her back as she looked to the blonde letting out a wink. They had come so far, both her and her daughter for she could never imagine she would be standing here with her and her granddaughter. The red head at one point imagined that she would never see Stefanie again, and had accepted that they would never have a relationship as she too could feel tears slowly trickling down her face. Her life had changed so much in the last few weeks as she was the happiest she had ever been. Gently pulling away from her granddaughter she placed a kiss on her warm forehead and let out a soft smile as she was deciding to sell her condo in Florida and move closer to her daughter and granddaughter. There was no one in the world she loved more then them.


	55. The Journal Part I

**Thank you all for reading! You guys are so awesome especially with you're reviews, and suggestions. Please let me know what you would like to see or if you have any theories. One guest thinks Callie might be Stef and Mikes daughter. (Thank you for that suggestion!) Who else thinks that? I have no idea as my hands tell me what to write and you guys give me so much inspiration and ideas when I'm stuck!**

 **So keep the reviews and suggestions coming, and this story is not ending anytime soon!-Stef1981**

CALLIE POV

I had forgotten about the questions in the journal that Dr. Evans suggested I answer. There had been so much going on the last week that it was the farthest thing from my mind until mama mentioned my appointment was coming up in a few days. I really really didn't want to be bothered with going again and I really had no interest what so ever in whatever she had written in that book. Learning that I was really 13 and finding out that my parents never really singed there rights away was plaguing my mind hour after hour for I just didn't even remotely know what to do with that information or how to feel. I believed everything mama had told me I really did and I knew her and Lena were going to stand behind me but this was hard and there was just no way around it. As I opened my eyes slowly my body still felt like crap as mama and I continued to be plagued with this pain in the ass cold. It had literally kept us up half the night as it felt like we were both coughing our brains out. Resting my head gently on her back now I felt her quiet breathing as her body moved up and down. Snuggling my nose into her I wrapped my arm around her waist as I soon felt her hand grab mine. Lena lay on the other side of me as she too had been up half the night getting us medicine, soup and fluids. Originally I was terrified the other day when I realized I was coming down with something and I had tried to hide it. But there really wasn't any use hiding anything from my moms. They knew even before I did when something was off with me. That was something I was still trying to get use too.

As I laid snugged into mama's back I kept thinking of all the countless times I had been sick growing up. I was use to hiding it all the time for most of the foster parents I had grew angry if they found out I was sick. Or god forbid if I got them sick or there biological kids. One foster parent almost killed me when I got her children sick with a stomach bug. She literally threw me out in the garage making me sleep on the cold cement floor. I had not meant to get anyone sick I never did. But I remember laying there with the worst stomach pains ever as I threw up my own stomach bile for two days. She never bothered to check on me only blaming me that it was my own fault. A few days later she dropped me off at school and never came back. Another time I had a fever of 103 and had to be taken to the hospital. I remember the couple I was with threw a fit when I didn't respond to Tylenol for I ruined there New Years Eve party. The woman got so frustrated with me since she had her guest downstairs at there catered event that I wasn't allowed to go to that she dumped me in a bath of ice cubes leaving me there for an hour. When my fever still had not broken she threw me in a cab and told the driver to drop me at any hospital and not to bring me back. Thinking back I originally thought I was 7 but based on what I knew now I was close to 5 or 6. Another time that I'll never forget had been with the Reynolds when I was about 8 or 9 I guess. The Reynolds were strange. Probably one of the strangest couples I had ever met for they called each other Mother and Father. They were an older couple probably in there 70's who lived in an old farm house in Michigan. At the time I stayed with them it was the worst winter Michigan had ever had and most days it had dropped down to -30 degrees. Mrs. Reynolds who made me call her Mother Reynolds home schooled me but I couldn't tell you what I learned. She was suppose to be certified and make sure I was following the school curriculum but no one ever bothered to check up on that. Most of my days were spent cleaning, cooking and helping around the farm with Father Reynolds. We ate dinner at 4pm every night and prayed for three hours before bed. Usually I zoned out. One night I had forgotten to lock the sheep up and they almost killed me. Those sheep were more precious to them then any kid ever was and once they found out what I had done I had to round up each and every single sheep in the freezing cold and snow alone. It took me three hours to get them and the next morning I had a blaring fever. Mother Reynold's refused to give me any medication saying it was the devils punishment for not having done what I was suppose to. The woman could have literally killed me but for some reason Father Reynolds took pity on me and took me to a doctor. The next day they sent me away.

Coming out of my horrible thoughts I slowly lifted my body up and looking to the clock I could see it wasn't even 7am. Letting out a soft frustrated sigh I was slightly annoyed for I wanted to sleep a little longer but my body just wasn't letting me as I could now feel my stomach rumble. I didn't want to wake my moms for I knew they were tired as well so I figured I'd get up and make some tea. But as I carefully slide down the bed trying not to wake either of them I heard mama's voice.

"You ok baby?" she mumbled as I slide off the bed and her eyes opened a bit looking to me. It was no secret that Stef was a super light sleeper and as most teenagers would sneak out to meet boyfriends or friends I would never stand a chance.

"Uh huh just getting some tea." I manged to muster out as my throat still felt so dry and sore.

"You want me to get it love?" Mama lifted her head up still sounding pretty bad herself as her throat was raspy. I felt really guilty for getting her sick for I had never seen her look so out of it.

"No I can mama it's ok."

"You sure sweets?"

"Sure it's ok." I said grabbing her SPDP over sized sweatshirt and pulling it on over my tee shirt. But I could feel her eyes zoning in on me as I let out a forced smile.

"Come here love. Come sit here for a second." she patted the bed in front of her as she let out another cough soon blowing her nose as I jumped on the bed taking the spot next to her. Her eyes warmly looked into mine as I knew she was trying to read me.

"What's wrong my girl?" She gently began to rub my back as I picked at the fabric on my plaid PJ pants.

"MM nothing."

"No? Then why the long face. Talk to me. "

"MM I just feel bad for getting you sick. I didn't mean too mama." My eyes soon looked to hers as she let out a soft smile.

"Sweetheart it's ok. Getting sick is apart of life honey. Besides who's to say you got me sick? As I recall we both got it the same day and we were trying to ignore it. Unsuccessfully that is."

I shrugged my shoulders as I now began to play with her fingers.

"Sweets you have to stop thinking everything is your fault. People get sick my love and considering your practically glued to me and we eat after each other, which yes I adore, it's bound to happen. Believe me I've gotten Lena sick many times as she has gotten me."

"Really?" My eyes soon looking once again into hers.

"Yeah. It's just how life is baby. I know growing up some of your foster parents might have gotten angry but that's not me and you know this honey. Yes?"

"Yes. I guess sometimes I forget still." I looked to her once again shrugging my shoulders.

"I know you do that's why I am here to remind you love." she winked as she poked the tip of my nose causing me to scrunch my face.

"I know there's been alot going on my love and I know it hasn't been easy finding out about your age and birth parents sweets." Now avoiding her eyes I diverted my gaze once again as I continued to play with her fingers.

"Cal, I don't want you to worry you hear me?"

I nodded my head still avoiding her eyes.

"Look at me my love."

Letting out a low sigh my eyes slowly moved to look into her's as a small smile soon formed on her face. I didn't know if mama was worried about my birth parents signing there rights away but it was hard for me to not be. For the first time in my life I was happy, I felt self and protected and I felt loved. Thinking that it could possibly get taken away from me was terrifying.

"I will handle this. Ok? You just keep being a kid, go to school and relax. Leave the adult shit to me and mom."

I couldn't help but let out a laugh at her language as I soon smiled.

"Now there's that smile I love. Give me a hug sweetheart. Come here." She held her arms open wide now as I leaned in and hugged her tightly. Despite being sick I still smelled that vanilla scent on her, the same I smelled the first time I leaned into her at the fair that day. Never in a million years did I ever think she would be my mama.

"I love you mommy."

"Aww I love you too my girl. I love you very much." She kissed the top of my head as I continued to melt into her arms.

"I still feel like crap." I admitted as I pulled away rubbing my throat as she soon felt my warm forehead.

"Yeah I'm with you baby. Feeling like I got hit by a truck still myself. You can take some more medicine in about an hour."

"Ok. Do you think we will be better for the wedding?"

"Of course. You and I just have to take it easy this week honey."

I nodded my head as I began to play with the bracelet on her wrist.

"Ma?"

"Yes my love?" she asked blowing her nose once again and letting out another cough.

"Do I have to go to therapy this week?"

"Yes love you do. I think it's even more important this week considering everything going on, especially with you starting school this week too."

"I guess. But I really hate it. I hate the questions she asks me."

"What questions do you hate honey?" she sniffled once again letting out a cough as she now sat up in the bed. I looked over to Lena who was still sound asleep as I wondered if I should open up this can of worms.

"MMm well she keeps asking me how I feel about you and Lena. I mean why do I need to tell her that?" I said angrily as Stef looked to me somewhat surprised but smiling once again at me as she held my hand.

"Well, I don't think it's a bad question honey and I don't think she has any wrong intentions. Maybe she is trying to get you to open up in a different way my love."

"I don't like talking about that." I began once again to play with the fabric on my pants.

"Why is that honey? You don't want anyone to know how you feel about us?"

"No. Not a stranger. Well, I told her how I feel about mom but it's non of her business how I feel about you. I just don't want, I don't want her to say anything about you that I might not like. It's going to make me angry."

"You know sometimes it's so hard for me to believe that you are not biologically mine love." she soon laughed as I had wished for that so bad. "You are very protective my love and yes its a good quality. But I think you should try to say what you can. Answer the question the best way that you know how sweetheart. I mean to be honest with you I have thought about going to therapy too."

"Really?" My eyes soon bugged out.

"Yeah and I get it. I'm not excited about it either and sometimes there is certain level of guilt when you say how you really feel about things. But like you my love I have issues that I have to deal with and haven't to the fullest. But you and I we owe it to ourselves and each other to take care of ourselves and say how we really feel." she said rubbing my hand softly.

"Well, if you can do it so can I. I will try harder mama." I smiled.

"That's what I like to here my baby." she said squeezing my hand and letting out a wink at me as I returned the smile to her.

"Do you want anything I'm gonna go get some tea."

"No I'm fine my love. Just going to close my eyes for a little bit more. Call if you need me ok my girl?"

"K. I love you." I leaned in once again and placed a kiss on her cheek smiling wide at her.

"I love you too baby. And put my slippers on no bare feet love."

"K."

Jumping down from the bed I slide mamas slippers on and decided I would finally look in that journal no matter how much I was fighting against it.


	56. School

**Hi all! Sorry for the wait I had a tough time figuring out this chapter. I still don't know if it's correct but this is it and it will help me get to the next chapter! Hope you enjoy!-Stef1981**

STEF POV

Blowing my nose once again as I watched my little girl head into the kitchen I smiled at her perseverance. For being well, I presumed 13, she was so strong after all she had been through. I mean I got it, I understood she hated therapy but I also knew it was something she so desperately needed to work through her life and her anger. Anyone would. It was true I had thought long and hard about going myself even if it did sound like one giant pain in the ass to me, for my daughter had a point where who would want to shed out each and everything that happened to you. But maybe I did need to follow my own advice. Maybe I needed to go to talk about my father, my past, loosing a baby, accepting I was gay. Maybe I did need to talk about all of it, or maybe I could just continue to avoid it.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I was suddenly startled out of my thoughts as I heard Lena turn over and look me in the eyes.

"Goodness you scared me. I thought you were sleeping love. Did we wake you baby?" I said grabbing another tissue and blowing my nose. This cold continued to be relentless.

"No, no love. I felt Callie get up. I think my body has become automatically programmed to feel her wake up." she laughed sounding groggy.

"Oh do I know that feeling."

"So, my love you're going to therapy?" she now questioned sitting up next to me.

Internally I dreaded that she heard me admit to that as my eyes soon dodged her once again focusing on the yellow bedspread.

"Aahh I don't know it's only been a thought."

"Well I think it's a good idea honey. I really do I mean it can only help baby, and you know I would support you."

"I don't know I'm with Callie. Just the idea of dishing out my life gives me a headache Lena."

"Goodness don't let her hear you say that. We will never get her to go again." she joked.

"Yeah I know." I could only grin as I remained feeling uncomfortable as I felt Lena slide her hand into mine.

"But honey would it be so bad. I mean even if you just went once just to see. Especially since you plan on seeing your father."

Upon hearing that I laid my head back against the head board as I could feel the scratchiness in my throat.

"Uh don't remind me."

"You can change your mind. You know that right?"

"Yeah I know. Just, I don't know love. My mother is totally against it. I mean not that I'm surprised."

"Well, I can understand she has her reasons. She doesn't want you to get hurt babe.I mean neither do I. But if you feel it's something you need to do I will support you. You know that."

"I'll be ok sweetheart." I smiled softly and letting out a wink.

"I know you will but it's been a long time since you've seen him. I mean how do you feel abut it?"

"MM I don't know. I guess I'll know when I see him. I'm sure he'll have many things to say to me or about the way I look." I laughed awkwardly.

"What's wrong with the way you look honey?"

"Oh love come on you know." I said looking to her wide eyed for I didn't think I needed to spell it out.

"No love I don't."

"Butch honey. A dyke. I mean it's obvious I look like one."

"Stef." she began as she leaned in closer to me and held my hand tighter. " Why do you put yourself down so much?"

"I don't know honey I think I still have my own internal homophobia. It's ridiculous. I mean at times it doesn't bother me the way I look, other times and days I have my moments of fear and lack of confidence. I guess today is one of those days were I am not the strongest."

"That's ok. I've told you that you don't always need to be the strong one. But honey when are you going to look in the mirror and fully see the person I see? See the person Callie see's and all the people that love you see. When will you see that 100 percent? I mean if I have too baby I will tell you everyday of your life. Every single day how beautiful and amazing you are. Stef, you the most beautiful person I have ever met inside and out and I can't wait to marry you. I can't wait to take part of your name and be Lena Adams Foster. I can't wait to change the name on my office door, and on my driver's license, social security card and passport and credit cards. I can't do it fast enough baby because there is no one I would ever ever want to be with besides you for the rest of my life. I look at you and see, see something I haven't ever seen in anyone else, and I thank my blessing everyday that you are mine."

Looking so deeply into her tear stained eyes as my own began to tear I let out a soft smile to her.

"Oh baby." Leaning in I let my lips softly kiss hers as there was no one in this entire world that made me feel as good as she did.

* * *

It was a Tuesday morning and the day had finally arrived for Callie to return to school. The young girl was both nervous and apprehensive for she felt like she just didn't have the best of luck at Anchor Beach. Her constant attempts at returning to the school never seemed to sick. First arriving with Justina, then with Stef and having only lasted but a few weeks because of her medical issues and now the third time. This time however her moms had reassured her it was for good and she would no longer have another first day at the school. Nonetheless it did come with its fair share of issues. For one Callie would need to go back a grade for she was extremely far behind even with the help of her tutor and because of her age. Lena had fought hard to keep her in 10th but she had lost the battle with the school board and with Monte. Callie would need to repeat 9th grade which devastated her.

"This is so unfair. I don't understand why I have to redo 9th grade. I already went mama." Callie complained as Stef drove the young girl to Anchor Beach that Tuesday morning. Of course she felt bad but she didn't entirely. She knew Callie struggled horribly in 10th grade the small amount of time she was in it and Stef never really felt she knew much of what was going on. In her eyes and Lena's Callie had somehow breezed by in school unnoticed. Much the same as she had with life and the foster care system. Completely blending in.

"I know love. I know it's not fair but it will be ok. You get a second chance and it will be much easier for you and your schooling won't be interrupted."

"Still. I already know everything I learned in 9th grade. This is so retarded." the girl folded her arms as she looked out the passenger side of the window fuming.

"Sweets I know its frustrating. But maybe you will learn things better this time, maybe you will understand it more. Just sometimes we have to do things that aren't fair as you know but I promise you it will be ok. Alright my love?" The cop gently placed her hand on the girl's thigh as Callie shook her head still very much irritated.

"Love you can still be in your clubs and activities."

"Yeah with everyone knowing I'm going back a year."

"Honey you would be amazed what people forget. Don't worry about it. Ok love?"

Callie didn't respond as they pulled up to the school. She could suddenly feel that familiar anxiety radiate through her body once again for this was the third time she would be a so called new student in the same school. It was frustrating and it was nerve wracking however maybe her mother was right, maybe people would forget for it's not like she had any friends to begin with. Maybe she could just blend in like she always did and it wouldn't be so terrible she thought as she grabed her bag exiting the SUV and closing the door.

"Alright my love you ok?" Stef said as she now stood next to her daughter observing her young scared face. She could see she was very apprehensive but determined at the same time as she gently touched the young girls arm.

"Yeah. I'm good mama."

"Do you want me to walk you in?"

"No I can do it. I need to."

"Ok love. Well, seems Mom is waiting for you." She said smiling as she glanced to the front entrance were once again Lena could be seen greeting the students. The slim woman soon noticed the two as she could very well see how nervous Callie was.

"Yeah." she said letting out a smile as she looked to the ground at her new converse.

"Cals I love you my girl. And you have a good day. Ok my love?"

Stef now gently placed her hand on young girls shoulder as Callie looked into her eyes. She wanted to hug her tightly but with all the students around she didn't want to embarrass Callie for she knew how teenagers could be with other peers around.

"And I won't embarrass you by giving you a hug and kiss in public." she joked as the young girl let out an awkward smile and laugh for it was true most kids her age didn't dare hug there parents at school. But she felt bad for feeling similar as it wasn't hard for Stef to pick up on her feelings.

"It's ok love I was a teen once too even it was a million years ago. Now go on and make some friends. And remember have a good day and I love you."

"I love you too mama. And thanks. Have a good day too." The young teen smiled.

"You're welcome my love and I will."

Stef let out a wink as she watched Callie walk toward the school while she remained leaning on the SUV. In her mind she just wanted her daughter to have a normal life despite all the things circling around them right now. School she was hoping would be the one constant along with her home while Callie continued to navigate through her issues and ones that would soon surface.

Callie herself swallowed hard as she looked to the front of the school once again. She too just wanted to be normal so bad as she watched all the other kids once again make there way into the school unaffected by life. Nonetheless as she slowly made her way up the stairs she let out a soft smile upon seeing Lena. Callie had to admit she felt a certain level of comfort knowing her mom was very close by but nervous at the same time. It would be the first time that she was in school were the slim woman was her mom. Not legally yet but close enough for it was only a short time ago when she had walked into her office completely terrified and afraid. Afraid of her kindness, afraid of her warmness, and afraid of the blonde cop she had bumped into. In her mind that seemed like a million years ago as she continued to make her way to the front up the steps her stomach still in knots. Lena looked to her and displayed the widest smile ever for she was so happy to see her little girl back in school.

"Good morning Callie. Nice seeing you." She said continuing to smile as did Callie for she was wearing the new shirt Lena had gotten her at the mall a few days ago.

"Good morning Vice Principal Adams."

Lena nodded as she ushered the young girl into the school.

"So Callie your homeroom is 4b. It's straight down the hall ok? And your teacher will give you your schedule."

"Ok." she nodded.

"And please honey if you need anything you know where I am. Remember what we talked about." Lena said somewhat stern and soft at the same time.

"Yes I remember. Got it."

"Ok." Lena smiled once again as she softly rubbed the girls arm now turning around. Callie could see a girl similar to her age approach the both of them.

"Callie this is Mariana. She's going to help you get around classes today." she said warmly. Yes she knew her daughter didn't need help getting around but her and Stef were doing everything they could to not have Callie hide in the background any longer. They knew it was difficult for her to make friends and would do what they could to make the process a little easier for her.

"Hi Callie." the young Latin girl said smiling as she extended her arm out for Callie to shake.

"Hi." Callie said shyly shaking her hand.

"So where in Timothy's homeroom. Ya'll like him he's super cool. Do you wanna walk in together?"

Callie looked to Lena unsure as she really wanted to just blend in once again. But she knew her moms weren't going to let that slide again as Lena let out a soft smile nodding her head.

"That sounds like a great idea." Lena said as she smiled warmly once again at her daughter. "The bell will ring shortly so you guys should get going. I'll see you later Callie." she said walking toward her office as Mariana sweetly grabbed her hand and they walked further into the school.

"Don't worry school is a piece of cake!" the dark haired girl said smiling as Callie now turned around to see her mother walking to the drivers side of her patrol car.

"Um can you wait just for a second." Mariana nodded as Callie ran out the building past the giant crowd of kids and down the front steps trying to her catch her mother before she drove off.

"Mama! Mama!" she yelled as the blonde turned around surprised letting out a wide smile as the young teen wrapped her arms around her waist.

"I love you. I love you so much." she said holding her tight for she wasn't embarrassed and she didn't care how it looked. She loved this woman more then anyone could imagine and she didn't want to start the day without hugging her bye.

"I love you too sweetheart. I love you very much and I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud." Stef said hugging the girl harder then ever and kissing the top of her head. A few moments later she pulled away looking into Callie's sensitive eyes.

"I couldn't, I couldn't not hug you bye mama. I couldn't do it."

"I know honey. I understand and it's ok. It's ok my love I'm not angry I know how it is to be a teenager." She gently tucked the girls hair behind her ear smiling softly.

"But listen to me, I know you're nervous, I know you're scared but I want you to go in there and be strong. I want you to trust this, I want you to trust this life Lena and I are giving you. I want you to make friends, I want you to commit to this Callie for it's ok. It's ok to believe this life, it's ok you here me?" she said sternly as the young girl nodded her head.

"Ok. I will try."

"I know you will. Now I think someone is waiting for you. Don't want to keep your new friend waiting huh." Stef smiled looking to the doorway as Mariana stood patiently waiting.

"I'm scared. I don't know how to be friends with anyone." Callie admitted.

"Sweets you and I are friends right?" the blonde questioned as Callie nodded her head.

"Then let me tell you you're amazing at it, you are an amazing friend and an amazing young girl. You just go in there and be yourself and you show everyone the amazing young woman that I get to see everyday. Yes?"

"I think I can do that."

"I know you can sweetheart." The blonde said letting out a wink as Callie wrapped her arms around her once again. The cop held her close and kissed the top of her head once again.

"I love you mama."

"I love you too sweetheart."

Gently pulling away Callie smiled warmly at her mother as she once again made her way back up the front steps of the school where Mariana was now sitting.

"Sorry I didn't mean to make you wait." She admitted shyly.

"It's ok. That was really sweet to see. But we better go so we can get the good seats!" Mariana grabbed the young teens hand yet again walking beside her as Callie turned around and waved bye to her mother. Stef was happier then she ever could be as she waved back and watched her daughter begin a new journey in her life one that included something she knew Callie had never experienced before. Friendship.


	57. Who Is She?

How's my baby?" The blonde said over the phone as Lena sat in her office waiting for the lunch bell to ring. She was happy to admit that after checking on Callie a few times during the day that it seemed as if she was doing ok. She didn't want to overdue it but it was hard for she knew how nervous the young girl was. But it had been a relief to see that her daughter seemed relativity ok for she even saw her giggling with Mariana. That had warmed her heart especially when her little girl had waved at her from the halls. She had to admit it was hard for her not to go up to her and hug her tightly but she resisted it letting her blend in with the other students even if she was anything but that to her.

"She's doing good honey. I've checked on her a few time and paired her up with Mariana for the day. I even saw her laughing a few times."

"Aww my little girl. I knew she would be ok. However, I didn't mean Callie love. I meant you." Her voice sweet and warm.

"Oh." Lena said laughing. "Babe you're going to have to differentiate between us somehow if you are going to call us both the same thing." she said shaking her had as she knew Stef couldn't help but be affectionate. It was one of the things that had drawn her to the cop in the very beginning and only continued to.

"Yes I might have to agree with you on that." she laughed. "Goodness what will I do when we have our little babygirl?"

Lena's face could only blush as the blonde mentioned the baby once again. Yes it had been a rough few weeks and Lena had pretty much put it on the back burner wanting to handle Callie's issues first but she would be kidding herself if she didn't get excited when she heard Stef mention it.

"Oh who says we would have a girl babe?"

"Mm I don't know. Might be a little boy as well. That would be sweet too. I can picture him running around with curly hair like his mom."

Lena let out a wide smile at the thought for she herself could picture there little boy running around happily.

"That's so sweet Stef. I really is."

"It is. But I don't care what we have as long as they are healthy. That's all that matters to me love."

"You're so amazing honey. Have I told you that lately."

"Yes you have. But it's nice to hear. Keep saying it." the blonde joked as Lena shook her head.

"So you're not coming for lunch I assume?"

"No love that's what I was calling to tell you. Unfortunately I got handed a case so I'll be home late. Do you mind staying with Cals. My mom went looking for condos."

"Wow so she's really moving here huh?"

"Seems to be that way. I don't know I kinda like having her around. Well at least for the most part when she's not driving me crazy. I never um, I never thanked you for that baby."

"For what love?" the curly haired woman asked as she took another sip of her tea.

"For being persistent and contacting her. I mean know I was angry with you in the beginning and downright furious but had you not done it I don't know. I feel like I would be missing out as well as Callie. She loves my mother so much."

"You love her too honey. I know you love your mother and I'm just happy that you both were able to rebuild and build your relationship. I felt terrible about it, I just didn't want you to think I was going behind your back but I just..

"I know you felt like it was something that needed to happen. I understand that now baby. I do and I apologize that I was so furious with you."

"It's ok honey. I understood. I'm just glad it worked out and that's all I wanted for you baby. And your welcome." she said looking to the picture of her and Stef on her desk.

"So Callie's making friends huh?" Lena could here her partner taking a sip of coffee for she knew every single mannerism about her one's no one would ever realize.

"I think so Stef. I think she is. She was a bit nervous when I first brought Mariana over."

"I know my poor baby. Just things we take for granted like friendships and making friends she doesn't know anything about. It's almost like she has to learn these things because she just never had an opportunity."

"I know. It's heartbreaking if I think too much about it."

"She's tough thought. She will get through all of this one day at a time with our help."

"Stef can you imagine what her life would be like had you never bumped into her that day?" At the mere mention of that both woman became silent for a knot had formed in not only Stef's stomach but Lena's as well. There were many times the blonde had wondered what would have become of Callie had she not seen her fall that day in front of the school. Truth was the blonde had not even intended on going to Anchor Beach that morning but had gotten up earlier then usual for she couldn't sleep and decided to meet Lena before heading to work herself. It was odd for she was usually a late sleeper but that particular morning she had not been. Had she slept like usual her life might have been different and Callie may not have lived. That thought alone caused tears to fill her eyes as they filled Lena's as well.

"God I can't even imagine. My poor baby. She was so scared that day Lena. Terrified."

"I know and our mind doesn't have to go there because she is safe with us and she will be Callie Adams Foster honey."

"She will my love. She will. Anyway sweets let me get back to work and kiss my baby for me when you see her."

"Ha! I think only you can get away with that. I haven't really gotten to close to her. Mariana has been clinging to her all day."

"She seems like a sweet girl."

"Oh she is and very social. I have a feeling we might be seeing her at the apartment soon." Lena laughed as did the blonde.

"I am glad she is helping Callie come out of her shell."

"Me too baby. I'll let you go and see you later? Just let me know when your on your way. Do you know how long y'all be working. You know your daughter will be asking."

"MM I'm not sure love. I will call my love."

"I love you Stef."

"I love you too baby."

* * *

STEF POV

"All ready for the wedding?" Mike said said as we patrolled the area of El Cajon. I was a little on the tired side from being up with Callie most of the night for she had been really worried about school. Letting out a yawn I took another sip of my coffee hoping it would wake me up more then the cup I had earlier this morning.

"I think. Ready as I'll ever be."

"What's wrong Stef? Cold feet?" He joked as I let out a chuckle. Last thing I had was cold feet about marrying Lena for if there was one thing I was sure about in life it was that.

"Hardly." I said taking another sip.

"Then what's up. You're pretty quiet and you're not even on my ass about my driving."

"Mike. I'm thinking of going to see my father." Turning to him he looked over to me shocked.

"Frank? Are you sure that's a good idea Stef. I mean how long has it been. Over 20 years."

"Yeah something like that."

"Well, why after all this time?"

"Hes dying." I admitted trying to study his expression. I knew how Mike felt about my father and he had spent years protecting me from him which I had been grateful for.

"Yeah well even so Stef I mean you got a lot of good things going on and some complicated stuff do you think you really need to add him to the mix?"

"I know what your saying I do. But there's just somethings I gotta get off my chest. I need him to see he didn't kill me or who I was Mike. You of all people should understand that."

"Listen you know I'm supportive of you, you know that but are you sure about this? Do you want me to come along at least."

"Ha. You and Lena. No. I appreciate it but it's something I need to do myself. While I'm sitting here teaching my daughter to fight and deal with her demons I need to do the same Mike."

"Well I know how stubborn you are so I wont try to change your mind. Just let me know if there's anything I can do."

"Thanks." I said letting out a soft smile as I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. Taking it out and glancing at the number that flashed across the screen I answered it realizing it was the private investigator I hired.

"Stef Foster."

"Stef it's Marshall."

"Hey Marshall. What's going on. Got something for me?"

"Well a few things. But your kids birth certificate. It's a fake."

"What? What do you mean it's a fake?" My eyes soon bugged out as I couldn't believe what I heard as Mike soon flashed me a look.

"Yeah that things a fake. Got to hand it to the person who did it I mean it almost got passed me. But I got the thing analyzed."

"I don't believe this." I placed my hand on my forehead feeling my head pound even more.

"Stef what's wrong?" I soon heard Mike ask as I ignored him trying to process what Marshall had just told me.

"That agency that placed Callie they are as corrupt as they come especially that woman."

"Justina?"

"That's one of her names."

"What do you mean one of her names?"

"Stef shes got a host of names. You have no idea how far back this woman goes. She's into alot of shady shit."

"Like what?"

"Selling kids."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah. I traced her ass all the way back. I mean she's been doing this for years. A decade if not longer."

"You have to be kidding me."

"Look before you bust this woman give me a day or two. I want to make sure I have what I need so you can put her ass away for good. There's a lot of kids out there who are in foster care for no reason."

"Good lord."

"I know."

"Did you find anything on Callie's parents?"

"Not yet. Like I said give me a day or two. But from what I'm seeing I don't even know if that woman is her mother. Talk soon Stef."

"Yeah thanks Marshall."

Hanging the phone up all I could do was let out a sigh shaking my head back and forth. This was, this was insane for now we had no idea about Callie's identity at all. Who's child was she and had her parents been looking for her all this time? Deep inside I knew my baby couldn't take anymore heartache as neither could I.

* * *

 **Poor Callie can't seem to catch a break. Who's kid is she? How old is she? Where is she really from?**


	58. Father

It was almost 14 years ago when Justina Marks walked into a hospital in Sacramento, California as a social worker. Her name at the time was April Lewis and she was known for placing children and infants in loving caring adoptive homes. Costing more then 500,000 a child sometimes her goal today was to find one for a couple who was willing to pay more then two million dollars. Justina was given specific instructions and working with the doctor and a nurse who would be rewarded just as they had in the past the baby would need to be an Caucasian girl. This day there were two babies being born however one was Hispanic and the other an African American. With hopes that another mother would come in ready to deliver she waited impatiently as the doctor came in to give her news she did not want to hear.

"We discussed this. I need a Caucasian baby today. Now. Not tomorrow, not in a few hours but now! We have a lot at stake here!" she said bitterly to the doctor.

"There is not much I can do. The woman we were waiting on isn't going into labor now."

"You told me you would have one. If you want this money I want one now. I don't care where you have to get it. But get it." she said leaning in closer. "Get it or I will expose you and you can forget about ever practicing again. Last time I checked you need this money. You needed it so if you want it you better get one."

The doctor could only swallow hard as he nodded his head. He did have someone. Someone that was brought in very sick, hemorrhaging and in pain. The woman was barely 5 months pregnant and they were going to keep her overnight to monitor the baby who appeared to be healthy. There was a chance she would need a C-section. But there was also a chance she would just need to be monitored and would be well enough to go home. In any case this young woman was there only option right now.

"Listen I may have someone. But I can't guarantee anything. The mother came in a few hours ago."

"Is she having a girl?"

"Yes."

"Get it!" Justina barked as she quietly took a seat back down in the waiting room.

Only a few hours later an exchange with the doctor had taken place and Justina walked out of the hosptial with a Caucasian infant girl in hand. However, this baby was not well. She was very sick, extremely premature and needed to be hooked up to machines. Despite this she informed the high paying couple that this was the only baby she could get today and reluctantly they took her. After relocating to Michigan the young baby had proved to be a problem and proved to have numerous health issues. After 6 months she still could not breath on her own, she was extremely fussy and chronically in pain. They continued to get her treated but great increasingly irritated therefore dumping her at social services taking off. As time went on she was placed in numerous foster homes for special needs children. Nonetheless despite these issues she grew into a healthy young girl but never found a home where a couple wanted to adopt her. It would seem the young girl was unlovable.

Upon hearing what happened to the young baby Justina was irritate. Changing her name once again and moving up and down California for over a decade she found the young girl almost thirteen years later and had taken her in her own home with a clear vendetta against her. The couple who had payed for this young girl demanded the money back years before threatening to expose Justina. In the end she was forced to return the money.

* * *

With her mind racing after receiving the call from Marshall about Callie's situation the last thing she felt like doing was going to see Frank Cooper. But Stef had made a promise to herself that she would. That she would do this for herself, that she would look him in the eyes and tell him what she thought, tell him she had grown into a strong woman and show him he did not break her. Not even changing out of her uniform nor informing anyone where she was heading she felt every bone in her body ache. Every single one.

Maybe this was a bad idea and she could turn around right now and go home for she knew her family was sitting around the dinner table right now without her there while she sat outside the nursing home. Debating over and over what she should do she thought maybe of calling Mike, she thought maybe of calling Lena, she even thought of calling her mother. But she couldn't. This was something she had to do on her own regardless. Exiting the SUV she made her way to the front of the building and walked in. Seeing the nurse behind the counter she directed her to Frank Coopers room. Swallowing hard she made her way down the hall trying to prepare herself as much as she could but it was proving to be very difficult. More difficult then she could ever imagine she thought as she now stopped in front of room 211 seeing her fathers name on the door. Sucking up her fear and pain she slowly turned the knob and opened the door. However what she saw was not what she ever would imagine. No longer was the man who towered over her, no longer was the man that weighed well over 200 pounds, no longer was the man who at one point she had adored who had carried her on his shoulders, who had taught her to ride a bike, and who later on beat her senselessly. There in the corner of the room her father sat in a wheelchair glaring out the window. He was frail, his skin lacked pigment and he weighed if anything less then 100 pounds. Stef had prepared herself for many things but not for this. As she walked in the room sporting her short blonde hair which she had cut shorter and her uniform she didn't even know how to address this man. She hadn't called him Dad since she was about 10. What would she say. But she didn't need to say anything as he caught a glimpse of her his eyes focusing on her harshly and coldly. He knew it was his daughter. He knew her anywhere.

"Come to arrest me or what?" he said in a harsh tone now looking to the window once again.

"No." the blonde spoke as remained standing but moved closer to the man toward the window.

"Then what? You look like how I thought."he growled.

" I seen being sick hasn't made you any nicer huh dad?"

"You sound like your pitbull headed mother. Saw her a few weeks ago bugging the hell out of me. Telling me to take these meds as if that shit will do anything."

"Well maybe she cares."

"Yeah yeah." he waved his hand as a nasty cough soon plagued him. The blonde quickly grabbed the water by his bed handing it to him. He noticed of course she was a cop, noticed her short hair and the ring on her finger as he grabbed the water.

"Cop huh? Didn't see that one coming. Didn't know they let dykes work on the force. World has gone to shit." he said taking a sip of the water and shaking his head.

Stef could only let out a laugh.

"Well they let women and child beaters on the force as well. So if they hired you I figured I'd have a good shot." Stef barked back.

"You always did have a mouth Stefanie. I wasn't no woman or child beater."

"Ha. Really? Well I don't know what planet you lived on. Unless mom and I got those bruises on our own."

"OH come on you talking about those little smacks I gave you both.I had to keep my family in line. That's how we did it Stefanie. You were out of control."

"I was out of control. Out of control enough that you had to kick me in my ribs and punch mom and me in the face. Really? That's what you call slapping around." she could only shake her head as Frank rolled his eyes.

"I wont apologize for the kind of father and husband I was."

"Don't I'm not looking for one."

"Besides I had no affect you on anyway judging by the way you look. A god damm butch. Disgrace."

"Sorry you feel that way dad. But I won't apologize for who I am. I love who I am and my daughter loves who I am and the amazing woman I am marrying loves who I am."

"Jesus. There's just no hope for you. I tried to beat it out of you."

Stef shook her head.

"The only thing you beat out of me was the love I once had for you. That's all dad." She said adamantly as Frank remained speechless.

"What did you come here for? To show me how messed up you turned out. What to let me know how much I hurt you. Please. You're a disgrace and any woman crazy enough to marry you must be a disgrace too. I feel bad for that kid you have. She'll probably catch whatever you both have."

Stef could only shake her head for she was now realizing this was a bad idea.

"You know when I heard you were dying I didn't feel bad dad. Not one part of me felt bad for you. Because all this time I was trying to figure out what I did to you. What I did to deserve the blows you gave me, the hate you showed me. What did I do. And seeing you now and hearing you I guess it really is the fact that I'm gay. If I was straight I guess you would have loved me."

"I didn't have a daughter for her to be a faggot."

"It's fine because you don't have a daughter. You haven't had one in a long time." Stef could feel the tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Yeah yeah just get out." Frank said waving his hand at her dismissively.

With that Stef glanced at the man who she knew she would probably never see again. No matter how much pain he had put her through and heartache it was still difficult to accept that her father did not love her. Didn't love her because she was gay and probably a few other reason. She had to try, she had to try to put her self together and go on with her life closing this chapter as she exited the room without a single word.

* * *

 **So do you think the baby mentioned is Stefs? Who knows. We still won't know.**


	59. Doubts

**Hi all! Don't worry Mariana will not be a main character. I just wanted to give Callie at least one friend since she's never had one. We still don't 100 percent know who Callie's birth parents are and we might not find out for a few chapters. Thanks for reading guys!**

"So it sounds like you had a good day bug." Lena said kissing the young girls soft head as she helped chop up ingredients for the salad. It was true Callie did have a pretty good day for the first time ever at Anchor Beach. She had to admit in the beginning she felt awkward and unsure of herself for having to spend the entire day with Mariana but in the end it had not been to bad. The young girl had even found herself surprisingly opening up to the dark haired girl which was something that was not easy for her in the least. But something in her new friend seemed genuine and kind, even if she was very much afraid to trust it.

*FLASHBACK

 _"So where are you from?" Mariana asked as both girls had decided to eat there lunch on the bench that was closet to the beach. Callie for the first time could actually enjoy it as she was trying so hard to follow the advice her mother had given her that morning._

 _"Um Michigan." she said hesitantly._

 _"Really? Isn't that place like cold all the time? Doesn't it snow like everyday? I heard there's no sun."_

 _Callie could only laugh at her new friend as the girls eyes remained bugged out as if she was almost horrified._

 _"Yeah it snows a lot yeah. But the sun does come out. Not as much as there though."_

 _"Well what made you move? Did you live with your dad or something?" She asked not trying not to be nosy she just was more curious about her new friend. But she could see on Callie's face how the question threw her off a bit and she was beginning to regret it._

 _"It's ok you don't have to answer. I'm sorry I didn't mean to be so nosy." she apologized taking a bite of her own salad._

 _"No it's ok. You're not nosy. I'm just, well I never really had any friends. So this is kinda all new to me."_

 _"Well that's ok. Making friends is not really that easy. I mean you can make a lot but they might not even be your friends. I understand though."_

 _"Really? It seems like you know everyone." Callie said laughing once again._

 _"Well there's a difference between knowing everyone and those people actually liking you. I know they don't really like me. But it's ok." She said shrugging it off."_

 _"Don't worry about it. Who cares. I'll be your friend." Callie said smiling as she gently placed her hand on Mariana's._

 _"Thanks that's really nice of you."_

 _"No problem." Callie said taking another bite of her sandwich._

 _"So do you wanna like go to the beach this weekend? The weather is suppose to be super nice!"_

 _"Oh...well I sort of can't."_

 _"Oh well that's ok maybe another time." Callie could clearly see the young Latin girl was a little bit hurt by rejecting her plans._

 _"It's not that I don't want to, it's just my moms are getting married Saturday."_

 _"Oh my gosh really! That is super sweet and amazing! Are you excited?"_

 _"Yeah I've never been to a wedding before."_

 _"That's so awesome. I bet it will be like super romantic!"_

 _"Probably." the young girl said smiling at her new friend._

 _"That's so nice that Vice Principal Adams is getting married. She's so nice. I mean your mom seems nice too I always see her during lunch time but I never met her."_

 _"Yeah she's pretty amazing."_

 _"I don't know my mom. I mean I live with my grandparents. Before that I was in foster care."_

 _Callie immediately turned her head._

 _"Really?"_

 _"Yeah. Sucked. I mean my grandparents are super strict and everything but at least there family. I had some nightmare homes. I'm just glad I'm out of that stupid system." she said shaking her head as Callie lowered her eyes to the floor. "Sorry did I say something?" she asked looking confused._

 _"No. Just I know what you mean. I'm a foster kid too." she admitted shyly_

 _"Oh. Is that what your embarrassed abut?" she asked._

 _"I guess." Callie shrugged._

 _"So the cop is your foster mom?"_

 _Callie nodded her head._

 _"I would never suspect that you seem so close to her. I honestly thought she was your birth mom." she said her face soften._

 _"I wish." Callie smiled widely._

 _"She seems super nice. You're lucky."_

 _Callie let out a smile once again as for some reason she didn't want to mention her adoption for deep inside she was still terrified it wasn't going to happen._

 _"Anyway are you going to wear a dress? Does it have a theme? Where is there honeymoon?"_

 _"Ha! I don't know the answer to any of those." she chuckled._

 _"I love weddings. They are so romantic and sweet."_

 _"DO, do you want to come?"_

 _"Really they wouldn't mind?"_

 _"No not at all."_

 _"I would totally love too!"_

*FLASHBACK ENDS

"It was better then I thought. Mariana is really intense though." she laughed.

"Yes she is. Very." Lena laughed handing the young girl a carrot.

"But she's nice mom. I kind of sort of invited her to the wedding. I mean, if you don't want her I can.."

"Of course we would love for her to come Callie." she said smiling to the teen for she was very excited.

"Really?"

"Yes. I think it's a great idea honey." Callie let out a wide smile.

"You know I was hoping you two would hit it off. Shes a sweet girl. Very outgoing. I know you weren't to happy in the beginning honey but me and mama are just trying to help. We don't want you blending in the background anymore." She looked to the young girl who nodded in agreement.

"I know I understand."

"I'm glad sweetheart." she said gently placing a kiss on the girls forehead. "You know mama and I love you so much Callie. You mean the word to us."

"You mean the world to me too." Callie smiled wide at the curly haired woman soon wrapping her arms around her. It wasn't that she never hugged Lena but the last few weeks she had gotten closer to her and continued to adore her more and more on a daily basis."I love you mom."

"Aww I love you too bug. I Love you so much honey." Pulling away softly Lena smiled at her once again as the two went back to preparing the salad.

"So mama has to work late?"

"Yeah honey she does. Got called into something. You know how it can be."

"Yeah. She works so hard."

"That she does. Not an easy job."

"Did you know she got shot?" Callie said swallowing hard.

"Yes. I know she did. But she's ok."

"Do you ever worry about her job?"

"Well I do at times. I just want her to be safe but I know she always is. Plus I know her and Mike look after each other so that's comforting."

"Yeah. I like Mike. He's nice."

"He is. Very kind."

"Was it weird in the beginning like since mama married him first and...well.."

"Well you know. He's always accepted your mother for who she was. Of course there is a period of adjustment but it actually wasn't weird. He was always very nice to me." she said smiling to the young girl as Callie smiled back.

"So when you and mama get married are we staying here?"

"Well bug we have talked about it and we think its best we stay here for a bit. Then you know when things settle down we will start looking for a house. I mean what do you think?"

"Sounds good. And the baby?"

Lena now put her knife down looking to the girl once again.

"Sweetheart we want to make sure we are all settled together first as a family. You, me and mama and we wont't do anything without letting you know ok?"

The young teen nodded her head.

"Now lets finish up your mama will be starving when she gets in."

"She always is."

As Callie and Lena had eaten dinner and time crept well into the morning Lena awoke to total darkness and Callie sleeping in her lap. Looking to the clock she could see it was well past 2am. She also noticed there was no sign of Stef for looking around she didn't see her bag or anything. Now getting worried she reached for her phone seeing no missed call or text. Stef usually called when she was going to be this late and it was strange for her not to check in. Quickly she dialed the blondes number as it went to voicemail. She soon texted and waited a few moments. After hearing nothing she called Mike as she slide out from under Callie and walked into the bedroom for she didn't want the young girl to hear.

"Yeah?" he said in a somewhat sleepy tone.

"Mike it's Lena."

"Hey whats up sorry was passed out. Everything alright?"

"Passed out? You mean you're not with Stef?"

"With Stef? No we ended hours ago. Usual time. Why?"

"She told me you guys were working late."

"No. We went home usual time. In fact she left early. She's not home?"

"No, no she's not."

"Then where the hell is she?" he said growing concerned himself.

"I don't know." Lena said now completely worried as she saw Callie enter the room looking terrified.

* * *

 **Where do you think Stef is?**


	60. News

The night had been long and particularly trying for the blonde. For as soon as she left the nursing home Marshall had called once again with more information regarding Callie and her past. Agreeing to meet at a local dinner Stef's stomach could only turn even more the more Marshall revealed to her. Somethings she never expected.

"So I did some more digging into Justina Marks. Her real name is Nikki Parker age 45 from Illinois. Stef I gotta tell ya nothing about her is credible not even her fake Masters Degree." he said handing her the folder with mug shots from all Justina's previous lives. The blonde looked through each one completely horrified for she just couldn't believe her daughter had lived with such a monster. Her and probably countless other children.

"Why am I not surprised."

"Now she's got numerous arrests and warrants in Florida, Nevada, Michigan, Canada. She's been everywhere Stef."

"I don't understand I looked this woman up myself. Numerous times. I mean even if she had false identities something should have come up. Nothing came up in the system. Not a damm thing." she said shaking her head.

"I know. She's paid a shit load of people off with her business plus you were looking for Justina Marks, not Nikki Parker. Based on what I've found she's taken well over 100 kids and fostered over fifty."

"100 kids?! You have to be kidding me! What? How.."

"I know. But you and I both know this shit happens all the time. I mean all the time. We got hospitals tied up in this, doctors, nurses, CPS. Its a mess. People will pay a heavy price for a baby and alot of people will keep there mouths shut for a little money."

"Yeah I know. I just can't believe shes gotten away with this shit." she said continuing to look over each and every page when something caught her eye.

"What's this? A law suit against Sacramento Memorial in 2003?"

"Oh yeah, Dr. Edwards."

"Dr Edwards?" Stef repeated for he had been her OBGYN. He also had been the one to tell her that her baby was no longer alive.

"Yeah. Why name ring a bell to you?"

Stef swallowed hard.

"Um no..No. Just how are they related?"

"Well, he did her dirty work and got his own cut."

"Meaning?"

"He stole alot of babies from that hospital. Mostly his patients. Women coming in for normal checkups and he would tell them the baby's heart stopped. Or they would come in ready to deliver and he would tell them the babies didn't make it. Tons of messed up shit. I'm still digging through his files as well."

"Oh my god." she said closing her eyes and placing her hand on her forehead.

"Yeah I know. A lot of mothers out there who were told there babies were dead and there living with some other family. Shit's crazy."

Stef's stomach was turning by this point for she had more then a million questions floating around in her head. Was it possible that he had done the same to her? What if the baby inside her did have a heartbeat? What if her baby not died? What if he had lied? Yes she was barley 5 months at the time and she had blocked the entire thing from her mind for it had been much much too painful. More then she could ever imagine. But what had really happened.

"Well what about my baby? Did you find anything?"

"Well, I caught a flight this morning to the foster care agency in Michigan that had Callie since she was about 6 months old. It wasn't easy finding that place either let me tell you."

"Why?"

"Well she's been shipped around so many different ones like a rag doll. Real shame, so tons of her records are lost and I couldn't get in contact with half the homes she had placed in."

"So her parents didn't give her up at birth?" Stef asked confused.

"Woman at the agency said she was just dropped off. But was special needs."

"Special needs? What do you mean?"

"They don't know. They think she was born premature."

"Ok, then why the fake birth certificate?" she said looking to it as the names of her parents were listed as Colleen and Donald Jacob." I mean who are these people then listed on here? This was the woman who wanted to meet her according to Callie's adoption lawyer."

"Well that's the thing. When the original people dropped her off I mean they literally just left her on the steps. They left her with nothing. She had no identity and no name. The agency took her in and named her Callie. When I went to see them they told me they didn't issue a birth certificate. So it came from this Colleen and Donald. But I haven't been able to locate them. I know your adoption lawyer was in contact with both of them allegedly but they vanished Stef."

"This is ridiculous and nothing about this makes sense. Not one bit. My poor baby."

"I know. Stef I agree non of this looks right. If I had to guess I think Callie was stolen. And when the people found out she had problems they dumped her but didn't want to leave a trail. Eventually she gets lost in the system. The lady admitted to me they can't keep track of every kid. It's impossible."

The blonde could only shake her head once again as she tried so hard to keep the tears from falling from her eyes.

"Listen the agency had a few photos of Callie when she was younger. I thought you might like them." He said handing her a small envelope as the blonde swallowed hard. "It's not much but still."

"Thanks." She said warmly.

"Stef I'm gonna do my best. I promise."

"I appreciate it. I really do Marshall."

"Anytime. Listen I'm flying back the day after tomorrow to track down more of her foster parents and to see where this birth certificate appeared from. But you certainly have enough to arrest this woman."

"Nothing would give me more pleasure."

As Stef walked to her car her stomach was turning and twisting. Not only had she found out more troubling information about her little girl but she had potentially found out troubling information about herself. Life was not getting any easier but far more complicated then she could ever imagine. Now turning the light on she opened the envelope of Callie's baby pictures as she smiled warmly at each and every single one of them.

* * *

"Honey you have to calm down ok?" Mama is very very strong and I'm sure her phone just died." Lena said trying to reassure her daughter as she had been crying for the last 30 minutes. After overhearing that Stef was potentially missing the girl had been inconsolable for they had continued to call and text Stef with no answer as her, Lena and Mike sat in the living room.

"But what if mama got shot? Or she got into trouble and can't call for help? What if? She always texts me back. She always does and.."

"Hey, hey.." Mike said leaning down to face Callie as he wiped a tear that fell from her cheek. "Cals do you know who we are talking about here? One of the strongest people in the world. Your mother can get out of anything. If its one person you don't have to worry about it's her. Believe me Iv'e seen the people she's been up against."

Lena could only continue to hold her hand as tears continued to stream down the young teens face.

"I know she's strong but I'm scared."

"Its ok to be scared Cal. You know when we were married sometimes she would go on these drives at night. Just to clear her head. Not that anything was wrong but you sometimes you just gotta get some air. And its not to get away from anyone just sometimes you need maybe a drive, or a trip or a movie to just think about life and what you want to do in life."

"You really think shes ok? She always answers my messages."

"I think she's fine Cal. Her phone probably just died like your mom said and she didn't think she would be out this late. That can hap..."

As Mike was about to continue they all heard the door unlocking and a few moments later Stef walked in. Callie got up so fast Lena barely felt her move as she almost knocked her mother down hugging her tight.

"Mama! Mama Mama! Where were you! Where were you?!" She said wrapping her arms around her tighter then ever. "I was so worried."

"I'm so sorry my love. My phone died. I'm sorry sweets I didn't meant to worry you." She said hugging her back as the teen looked up to her with her eyes filled with tears.

"I was so worried that something happened to you. You didn't text me back mama."

"I'm ok. I'm ok honey. I'm sorry love. I'm sorry babygirl." she said wiping the tears from the girls face as she hugged her even tighter. She could see Lena walking toward her but her face was anything but happy. Relieved yes but she knew she was in trouble for not checking in. Saying her phone had died was a lame excuse she knew it and she knew damm well she would have to answer to her fiance soon to be wife. But that would have to wait as she looked to Mike. Tonight despite everything else she learned her mission was to put Justina Marks behind bars for good.

* * *

 **I hope the talk between Stef and Marshall makes sense! I don't want to over complicate things.**


	61. Gone

"Lena I didn't intend to be out so late ok? What, do you think I just disappeared on purpose?" The blonde said as the two stood in her kitchen having a much heated argument at nearly six in the morning. The blonde had literally gotten no amount of sleep for she had just returned from the failed arrest of Justina Marks only a few short minutes ago which had turned into a total bust. That alone angered her more then anything for it was just adding on top of everything else as her impatience and temper escalated the more Lena argued.

FLASHBACK

 _"We'll check the front first before heading to the back." Mike said as both him and Stef walked up to the dark house. From the looks of it on the outside it would seem as if no one was home for there were no cars and not one single light. Not even an outside light was on. To the blonde non of this was looking good as she couldn't help but wonder if Justina had gotten tipped off somehow. Just that thought alone filled Stef with more anxiety then anything and she was praying that was not the case. As the two officers made there way up the front steps the same they had walked up only six months ago when Callie had made that terrifying call for help Mike looked to his ex swallowing hard. He too was worried and concerned that Justina had bailed for he knew that this was literally one of the moments the cop had been waiting for and he was right. Stef was looking forward to looking this woman in the face once and for all, she wanted to stare deep into her heartless soul, she wanted to once again slap the cuffs on her for good and she wanted to look this horrible woman straight int he eyes. The woman that had almost killed her baby, the woman that was responsible for destroy hundreds of families and the woman that had most likely abused countless children. Of course these were not the only thoughts plaguing her mind for she wanted to get down the bottom of her daughters past as well as investigate Dr. Edwards further._ _That thought alone was eating at her for she couldn't help but wonder if he had told her the truth in terms of her baby. What if she was out there too? Pulling her mind out of those thoughts only a few moments had passed when Mike once again rang the bell and shortly after banging on it._

 _"Justina Marks open up it's the police!" He yelled as Stef grew more and more impatient now banging on the front door herself._

 _"Miss Marks open up we have warrant for your arrest!" She yelled but still nothing as the two looked to one another._

 _"I hope this woman didn't split." Mike said. "I don't like the looks of this." Stef could only let out a loud sigh as both looked to one another. This time deciding to canvas the perimeter of the home as Mike took one end and Stef the other. Peering into windows and shinning her flashlight Stef could clearly see that the house appeared to be somewhat empty. Even with it being pitch black she was able to make out that there was not one single piece of furniture in any room. A knot in her stomach soon reemerged as her worst fear was coming true. She was pretty sure Mike was coming to the same conclusion as they both met back at the front._ _Deciding it was best to bust into the home the blonde kicked the front door in as they both announced themselves._

 _"Justina Marks this is police! Come out with your hands up!" Mike yelled._

 _But now that they were both inside what Stef had seen from the outside was confirmed. An empty house void of furniture and life._

 _"You take this way I'll take the other. Could be hiding upstairs." Mike insisted._

 _But as they both searched each and every room nothing was left. Not one single paper, not one single piece of clothing or furniture. Stef was now consumed with so much defeat for she couldn't help but feel like she had let her little girl down. That she had let herself down, that she had let Lena down. It was a horrible feeling and she couldn't believe what was happening and how close she had come. Letting out another sigh as she held her hand on her head she was startled when Mike walked in._

 _"Find anything?"_

 _"No nothing. I can't believe this. I mean how in the hell could I let this woman get away! How?"_

 _"Stef don't blame yourself for this. Don't do that to yourself. You've been working your butt off to find any and everything on this woman. But we'll find her and we won't let her get away with this. Alight?"_

 _"Yeah." The blonde whispered to herself as the two officers exited the home._

 ***FLASHBACK ENDS**

"Stef! Are you even listening to me!" the blonde heard Lena say as she had snapped back into the present.

"Yes I did. You're screaming at me loud enough for the entire world to hear you Lena! How could I not."

"Well, I haven't heard from you since the afternoon so I don't give a damm who hears me! It was 3am when I finally heard from you so don't tell me I'm not allowed to be upset! Don't you dare Stef!"

"Lena I never said you weren't allowed to be upset...I never..

"No one knew where you were! No one! And our daughter was inconsolable. I mean she was crying for an hour Stef! For an hour and she didn't understand!I was worried, Mike was worried we all were!"

"I'm sorry Lena! What do you want me to do!? I'm sorry ok?"

"Then you fly out of here with Mike not letting me know of anything! Nothing. Why are you being so secretive?"

"Lena we had a job to do."

"Ok and what about earlier? You said you were working late and Mike knew nothing about it Stef."

"Lena, I never said I was working with him. I had a few things to do ok? Is that wrong!?" she said loosing more patience then ever as she could really see the fire in Lena's eyes.

"No it's not wrong. What's wrong is you not letting me know! You not letting Callie know when you know damm well how attached she is to you!"

The blonde was furious as was Lena for the last 2 days had been a nightmare and they were getting married in 3 days.

"I knew she was safe with you ok? I knew I didn't have to worry about her!"

"That's no excuse! That's no excuse at all and your just...so damm selfish!"

"Ha! I'm selfish? I'm selfish?" she said pointing to herself.

"Yes! You could have used a payphone or radioed in or gotten a damm plug for your phone instead of leaving us all here in limbo not knowing where the fuck you were!"

Stefs eye bugged out for Lena had never yelled so loud to her ever or used such language.

"Lena...

"Where were you Stef!?"

The blonde looked down avoiding the question.

"So you still don't trust me!? You still don't! We are getting married in 3 days if you haven't forgotten!"

"Of course I haven't Lena. How could you even suggest that."

"Then tell me why you don't trust me? Tell me."

"Lena I trust you. Of course I do." she said now placing her hand on the curly haired woman's arm as Lena pulled away.

"Lena can we talk about this calmly and..

"No! You upset me! You worried me and obviously you don't trust me enough to let me know what is going on. If that's the case then you can marry yourself on Saturday!"

"Baby don't be ridiculous come on...I.." the blonde said walking after the curly haired woman who grabbed her bag.

"Don't call me that. I don't want to hear it! Just leave me alone!" she said now slamming the door behind her as Stef stood there both numb and shocked wondering what in the hell had just happened.


	62. Ghost

STEF POV

"Well what did you say to her? What did you do honey?" My mother said to me as she sat the coffee table drinking her morning cup.

"Thanks for you're support mom. Goodness. I mean don't hurt yourself." I said taking a sip myself. My head was still pounding at the argument Lena and I had earlier. I had texted her but she never responded and I knew I messed up but I just had so much on my mind that I just, I didn't know what to do.

"Of course I support you babygirl. But what happened. Is the wedding off?"

"I don't know mom." I said resting my forehead in my hand.

"What do you mean you don't know Stefanie. How do you not know."

"Look, I had a few things to do after work yesterday and I got home at 3am. I didn't call her or let her know where I was."

"Why?"

"I don't know mom. My phone died ok."

"Don't bullshit me. You know why. So spill it Stefanie Marie."

"I got all day. Let it out now." she pressed as I let out a loud sigh.

"I went to see Frank ok." I said letting out not much of the story.

"And you couldn't tell her that?"

"I don't know I just didn't want to talk about it."

"Ok but that's not the only thing going on. You look like you got hit with something so why don't you stop avoiding it and let it out already. What is it for real?"

"What do you mean mom?"

"I gave birth to you. You know this right.? What is really going on. I know you Stefanie. I know you very very well." I was so frustrated that my mother was able to read me in this way. She did know me very well so much that I found it frustrating for I couldn't hide a damm thing from her.

"I hired a private investigator to look into Justina, and to look into Callie's past." I took another sip of my coffee as my eyes glanced to hers.

"Ok and?"

"ANd, it's a nightmare mama."

"How so?"

"Well for one Justina Marks has been kidnapping babies for years from hospitals. Selling them to the highest bidder. She wanted in almost 10 states using different alias."

"Goodness lord. What the hell kind of person does such a thing." she said shaking her head.

"Yeah well Mike and I went to arrest her last night and she bailed. Someone tipped her off."

"Shit." she said shaking her head. "And Callie?"

" He can't find anything. He just knows she was dumped at Social Services at 6 months old and that she was Special needs. Possibly born premature. Marshall the guy I hired thinks she was stolen. The couple realized she had problems and dumped her."

"That poor baby. My heart breaks for her. Just I just don't understand people. I really don't. First off how do you steal infants form a hosptial. And what kind of people buy them. I just. I just don't get it." I could feel the tears swell up in my eyes now as the image of Callie at six months being dumped was heartbreaking. That poor baby never had it easy.

"So you don't know who her birth parents are?"

"No. We don't. Which will stall the adoption until we can locate them. And if she was stolen it will just, I don't even know mama. I could loose her."

And there it was. Those were the words I was finding so hard to even speak. Just the mere thought of thinking that, and saying it broke me in half as my mother leaned in to hug me tight. I cried. I cried hard in her arms harder then ever.

"My sweetheart. It's ok baby. It's ok. I just don't understand why you choose to carry this on your shoulders baby. I don't understand that. You are with a wonderful woman who you can share anything with. Why don't you talk to her?"

"I don't know mama. I don't know. I didn't know how to say this out loud. It just feels to real if I do."

"I understand honey. But if you keep it inside like this it doesn't help. Don't carry this alone. You don't need to. You know we can all help and figure out what in the hell we will do. One step at a time babygirl. One step at time." She said smiling to me as she held my hand tight. I could only smile back.

"You need to talk to your soon to be wife about all this. It's important baby. It just is."

"I know mom. I know." I wiped my tears. "I just the thought of loosing another baby."

"What do you mean another?"

I looked to her suddenly realizing I had never told her about my miscarriages and that had slipped my mind for it was something I really didn't want to talk about right this second but there was no way she was gong to let that slide

"Well, I had a miscarriage at 18 mom. A few weeks after Mike and I left San Diego. And I had another almost 14 years ago but..

"But what?"

"Well I was barely 5 months pregnant. And I woke up bleeding and pain and, the doctor told me I lost the baby. There was no heartbeat." I swallowed telling the story in an almost robotic tone as my mother continued to hold my hand tight.

"Goodness. That...I didn't think that would happen to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I had complications when I was pregnant with you. I had two miscarriages before you. And with you I had problems and I was on bed rest for the last three months of it. I went to the hospital more then once with bleeding even though you turned out perfectly healthy. The woman in our families have difficult pregnancies."

"Oh my god." I said shaking my head no getting up to pour the res of my coffee in the sink.

"I'm so sorry you went through that honey. And I'm sorry you lost two babies. I am honey. Especially at almost 5 months." Looking her dead in the face I was wondering if I should mention the other part of the information Marshall had told me.

"Mom, Marshall told me that my doctor was involved with Justina Marks. Stealing babies. Telling mothers who were perfectly healthy that there babies died. Women giving birth and not going home with a baby."

As I looked to her she was speechless.

"Well do you think he might have done this with you?"

"I don't know mom. I don;t know. All I remember is Mikelya was fine. I think and the night I went in bleeding and in pain. I mean I felt her kicking. She was always kicking me." I smiled. "But they told me there was no heartbeat after I had woken up. And that she was gone." With this my eyes continued to tear as my mother walked over to me taking both my hands.

"Baby you need to find out as much as you can about this doctor. Especially if he is connected to Justina Marks. There is no question about it. This is not an uncommon thing baby. It isn't."

"I know mama. I know." I said swallowing hard.

"You know she would be Callie's age now." I smiled. "Speaking of which he was nice enough to bring me some photos of her." Walking to my bag I handed my mother the photos as she looked to them smiling. But her face almost froze at one of them.

"This is Callie?" she asked

"Yeah. Why? What's wrong mama?" I said.

But she looked at it like she had seen a ghost.

* * *

 **What do you think Sharon see's in Callie's baby pic?**

 ***Don't worry we will get some much needed Stef/Cal in the next chapter. It's overdue!**


	63. Comfortable

CALLIE POV

My mind was fading out quickly as I scribbled drawings on my math test. I hadn't gotten much sleep last night and something was troubling me more then anything. My moms wedding was only two days away and I had heard them argue louder then anything this morning. They never argued like that ever, and mama never went to work without checking in. She had been more quiet then usual dropping me off this morning and she didn't even come in to say hi to Lena. Just giving me a tighter hug and saying she loved me even more then ever. It was true I was feeling angry toward Lena. Even if I loved both my moms equally I couldn't help it for I hadn't heard the whole argument I only heard mom tell mama to marry herself. I guess it meant she didn't want to be family and I guess it meant she didn't want me either. Feeling exhausted and out of it I glanced to my math paper and threw my pencil down. I couldn't be bothered with this and I knew there was going to be hell to pay but I grabbed my bag walking out the class.

"Callie. Callie. Where are you going?" Ignoring my teacher and quickly walking down the hall past Lena's office I neglected to see that she clearly had seen me as I soon heard her yell my name.

"Callie. Callie where are you going? You have a math test." I heard her say as I turned around to face her.

"So what." I said as she looked somewhat shocked. I had never been disrespectful to her and I had never talked back to her. To mama yes many times for I admitted I tested her patience to see how far I could go. Sure it scared me and mama at times scared me not in a bad way but I pretty much knew how she was going to respond and that I would be in deep shit. But with Lena I had no idea. Yes I had seen her discipline other students and yell at them and it was never something I expected. But she could get angry and just as angry as mama as I stood there swallowing hard.

"Excuse me young lady?" She said walking closer to me. I had never realized how tall she was as she looked down into my eyes. But she also looked tired herself. " I think you better get back in there and take that test and think of another way to talk to me. Yes I am your Vice Principal but I am your mother too Callie and this kind of behavior I will not tolerate."

"I don't really care and I can talk to you however I want." I said boldly crossing my arms together as I could feel the knot in my stomach. I was nervous as I tried to look like my words easily flew out of my mouth. Her facial expression grew even more shocked.

"Callie I told you I will not tolerate that! You have detention for two weeks! Now you get back in that classroom and you finish that test. Now young lady!"

"No! Why should I care about some damm test when you're not even marrying mama anymore. You obviously don't want to be a family and you don't want me to be your daughter so just leave me the hell alone!" I yelled storming off as I could hear her yelling my name after me.

"Callie! Callie Stefanie Marie you get back here right now young lady!"

I continued to hear her yelling as I ran fast out the school not looking back for a single minute. I knew I was in deep trouble now for mouthing off to her and I knew any minute she would call mama and I'd be in even more trouble. But there was so much going on the past few days that I didn't care. I just didn't as I could feel tears running down my face. For some reason I was terrified and scared of everything, that I jinxed everything somehow. I just didn't know how I thought as I made my way past the beach. But only a few short moments later I heard a siren and looked over to see Mike pull up.

"Callie? What are you doing out of school?"

I wiped my eyes looking everywhere but at him.

"What's it to you!" I yelled as I continued to walk past him. But he parked the car on the side and quickly followed behind me.

"Hey, hey. Cal. What's up. Whats going on?"

"Nothing ok." I said turning around angry.

"Then why the tears? And why are you out of school?"

I ignored him

"Callie. Answer me." He said looking to me.

"I'm just tired ok. Is that a crime? I'm tired." It was then for some reason I exploded. "I'm tired of not being adopted, I'm tired of not knowing who I am or my real age, I'm tired of just being a nobody and going to therapy for problems no one can help me with. Now mama and Lena aren't getting married because they had a big fight and ...and just I'm tired." Tears ran down my face as he grabbed me for a hug. I had never in my life hugged a male before in this way and normally if it were anyone else I would pull away, or kick them, or do anything not to be touched by one. But this was different. I didn't feel threatened, I didn't feel grossed out. I felt cared for and I didn't understand that feeling.

"It's alright Cal," He said pulling away. "Look everyone gets fed up. Believe me. And it's ok to get angry and upset about it. But ya can't lash out at people. It's definitely not the way. We're all here to help you. You know that. And listen couples fight all the time. It doesn't mean they don't love each other."

"Lena said Stef can marry herself."

"Ahh Callie you know how many fights your mother and I got into. She's thrown crap at me. Sometimes you just say stuff you don't mean. It happens. I know that's not the best example but the point is it happens. But people still love each other at the end of the day. Your moms I will tell you I've never witnessed such love. That's not something people throw away."

I looked to him as my tears started to dry up and I nodded my head believing what he was saying. I didn't really understand why I trusted him or what made him different from the other males I had in my life that did nothing but terrify me and violate my trust.

"I just love them so much and I just want to be a family and have a family so bad."

"You do have a family kid. You do and no one is giving up on that. You will get adopted I am sure of that and stop saying your a nobody. You know that's not true. Your a great kid Callie. You really are."

I remained silent as I continued to look to the ground.

"Listen I'm pretty sure both your moms are worried sick. I'm on break for a bit. How about we give them a call and get some ice cream. I could use a treat myself. Long day." he chuckled.

"There going to be so mad. I screamed at Lena." I confessed.

"It will be alright. There both all mush inside. Especially your mother." he smiled as I let a small smile crack from my face.

"Come I know a place up the street. Best ice cream in San Diego. They only have two flavors though chocolate and vanilla."

"Gross I hate chocolate ice cream." I said as he let out of laugh.

"Yeah me too. I usually just give it to your mother. Can't stand it."

I nodded my head smiling as we walked to the car and for some reason I was feeling much better.

* * *

"So you and my mama met in school?" the young girl asked curiously as she dipped her spoon in the vanilla ice cream avoiding the chocolate again.

"Yup. Took me forever to ask her out. I was so nervous." Mike said shaking his head.

"Why? Was she scary?" the girl laughed.

"Oh no anything but that. She was beautiful. Left me tongue tied. I was kind of shy back then and she was um..." he trailed off looking to the girl who's eyes stared into his waiting to hear more. "She was just beautiful."

The young teen nodded as she dipped her spoon in the vanilla once again.

"You don't seem shy I mean."

"Yeah not now but then I was." Your mother surely wasn't. She was bossy and controlling." He laughed shaking his head as Callie herself mildly chuckled.

"She still is." she smiled as did Mike.

"That I Have to agree with you on kid."

"Do you still love her?" With this question the cop looked to the young girl not knowing how to really answer. It was something he continued to struggle with even after all this time but it was not something he could come out and say. Deep inside he did still love Stef very much. But he knew that was not ever possible in this life. He had dated many times over the years but nothing ever stuck for he always seemed to be looking for someone just like her.

"As a friend sure. I care for her still always. That never goes away. She still drives me nuts but hey I'm sure I do as well." he said trying to answer the question best he could without giving away too much. Luckily the girl seemed satisfied with that answer as she went back to eating her ice cream for Mike had to admit he had no experience talking to kids in this way. None at all.

"I wonder how long I'm going to be grounded. Probably forever." she mumbled.

"Nah, couple days maybe. I wouldn't worry to much. Best thing to do is to make sure you tell them how you feel. Don't hide."

"Yeah. I guess. That's what my stupid therapist says."

"Ha. Why is she stupid?"

"Cuz shes wants to know my business." The girl said rolling her eyes.

"Well you think she's helping?" he questioned as the girl avoiding his eyes shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. I just think therapy is dumb. She makes me answer these questions in some journal. I hate it."

"Cals life a bitch sometimes. I'm in therapy myself." He admitted.

"You are?"

"Yup. A few years ago I got into drinking. Affected everything. Home, work, myself. I was out of control and thought I could help myself."

With this Callie's eyes bugged out. She had never expected to hear this.

"You're an alcoholic?" she said shocked and somewhat nervous.

"Yeah. But I have been sober for a long time. Don't go near that stuff ever. I lost my my brother a few years back and I took it hard. I refused to get help until alcohol almost killed me and almost took my badge. Went to therapy, and AA saved my life."

Callie looked to him as Mikes eyes grew soft.

"Oh." she said softly.

"Point is everyone needs a little bit of help sometimes and sometimes our own stubbornness gets in the way. Take it from me Cals it can't hurt. Give it a shot and see what you get out of it. You never know."

The young teen nodded as the two went back to eating there dessert. Even though Callie had terrible experiences with alcoholic foster parents Mike still didn't seem that way for even after admitting that to her she still felt safe and comfortable.


	64. The Photo

"She's with Mike!" The blonde said on the phone as she had just gotten a call from him saying he found the girl a few blocks from the school and he had taken her for ice cream.

"Thank god. I was so scared Stef. I was so scared."

"I know me too baby but she's ok. She's safe."

"Stef she heard me yelling at you this morning." Lena confessed feeling horrible about the whole thing. She knew she should have kept her voice down.

"Yeah I was afraid of that love."

"Well she heard me tell you to marry yourself. So she thinks I don't want to be a family, that I don't want to be her mother or your wife."

"Is she right?" the blonde asked as Lena let out a sigh.

"No of course not! You just scared the hell out of me. I thought something happened to you, that you got hurt or shot or I don't know. You know how I feel about your job."

Stef let a sigh herself as she continued to drive on main street and was now a few blocks from the ice cream shop.

"Love look I'm sorry for doing that. There's alot I need to talk to you about and I just didn't know how to."

"I figured something was going on honey. But why do you always feel the need to deal with it yourself. I'm not weak Stef."

"I know you're not baby. I know. It's just the wedding is so close and I didn't want to spoil it with everything."

"Stef, you won't. I know there's things going on with Callie and you and all of us. But we don't need to focus on it on our wedding day. I think we all need that day anyway just to get away from all this crazy stuff."

"Agree." the cop smiled as she parked a few doors down from the shop.

"So it seems we all need to have a talk. Not just you and me but you me and Callie. She called me Lena today and it killed me. I never realized how much her calling me mom affected me so much. I hate that she thinks I don't want to be her mother all of a sudden."

"Oh baby I know. Just we need to keep reassuring her that no matter what we want to adopt her. But I do know what you mean. When she's angry at me she calls me Stef and it drives me nuts." she laughed as did Lena.

"Love, I'm sorry again baby. I really am. I never meant to worry you so much. I just I got a slew of information about Callie."

"Like?"

"Like, well the private investor I hired thinks she was stolen as an infant." She said revealing not much more.

"Oh goodness lord. You can't be serious?"

"Love I wish I wasn't." the cop said sadly as she could clearly see Mike and Callie sitting outside the ice cream shop. But something about it stuck her like never before as the early morning conversation with her mother continued to play in her mind over and over. After showing Sharon Callie's baby photos the red had looked as if she had almost seen a ghost. The blonde had been confused more then one could imagine as her own mother sat there speechless for more then ten minutes.

FLASHBACK

 _"Mom what is it your scaring me!"_

"You sure this is Callie?" she asked again.

"Yes why do you keep asking me this? What is it?"

"Well, um it's nothing. Nothing."

 _"Really mom? Don't do that to me. It must be something so what is it? Your making me nervous!" once again she stared at the photo not believing her eyes. For a moment she thought her mind was plaything tricks on her. Just for a moment. But as she continued to look she realized it wasn't playing tricks on her. Callie looked just like Stefanie when she was a baby. Just like her and that was something only a mother could see. As she looked at the photo she debated on weather or not she should tell her daughter. It could just be a coincidence. It could. Or maybe it wasn't._

 _"Mom please!" the blonde yelled as Sharon looked up to her. Quietly she walked over to her bag and took out her planner with the few old photos she had of her daughter from when she was an infant, from when she was about 6 months, and from when she was about 10. Of course she had acquired new ones but the night she left Frank she grabbed whatever she could before he could knock her unconscious again. Taking the one photo out of Stefanie that had stuck in her mind she held the two next to each other and there it was. The uncanny resemblance that sent chills up her spine._

 _"Mom! What is it?" The cop yelled again a Sharon slowly walked over to her handing her the photos. Stef had not seen a baby picture of herself since she was a teen and she never really looked to them. She had no photos up of herself as a kid or as a baby but as she grabbed the two photos she looked to them and her heart almost dropped out of her chest. Now she understand why her mother had feel silent for Callie looked just like her. You couldn't see it now for she had grown into her own person but you could surly see it then. The resemblance was almost eerie._

 _"Are you sure the baby you had really died?" Sharon spoke as the blonde never took her eyes off the photos._

 _With this the cop sat on the couch her eyes not believing what she saw as Sharon sat closely next to her still in shock herself._

 _"Maybe, maybe we are just seeing what we want mom."_

 _"Or maybe we aren't honey."_

 _"But how in the hell. Just..."_

 _"I don't know baby. But I think we need to find out if Callie is yours and Mikes."_

 _Stef remained silent for a few more minutes as she continued to study the two photos_

 _"Mama what if she is?" she said swallowing hard as Sharon held her hand tightly squeezing it."What if she is and my baby went through that horrible life and she didn't need to. What if..."_

 _"Stefanie don't go blaming yourself. You can't do that now. The best thing for us to do is to find out the truth. That's the most important thing more then anything. And you need to talk to Lena."_

 _Nodding_ _her head she could feel the tears fall down her face as she rubbed Callie's baby photo with her finger tracing her little face. For she couldn't help but feel that if Callie was biologically hers life would never be the same._

 **FLASHBACK ENDS.**

"Stef are you there honey?" she suddenly heard Lena say as she snapped back into reality.

"Yeah baby sorry. Listen I need to talk to you when we get home."

"Ok, are you at the ice cream shop?"

"Yes. She's fine."

"Ok I want to talk to her as well so I'll be over after school."

"Sure love. Lena?"

"Yes?'

"I love you baby. Please never forget that."

"Stef I love you too. I love you so much baby."

As the blonde hung up before getting out the car she sat observing both Callie and Mike. It was true her daughter had no male role models in her life whatsoever besides Mike. And she had read over her daughter's past in her file stating she exhibited violent behavior towards men, that every home she had been in with a male a complaint was filed against her and she was moved around again. But she had never seen that behavior herself and Callie never acted in such a way toward her ex- husband. As she continued to watch the two laugh and talk her mind couldn't stop from thinking of the baby pictures and of the conversation she had with her mother only a few hours ago. If Callie really was hers how could she not see it all this time. How could she not realize, how could she not remember her kicking in her stomach right before she was admitted to the emergency room that night, how could she not feel that mother's intuition that her baby was still out there. How could she not. But remembering what Sharon had said she couldn't focus on that right now because it was not even 100 percent confirmed that Callie was hers. She would need alot more evidence. Now exiting the car she could only let out a wide smile as she quickly approached the two. Callie she knew must have had a sixth sense when it came to her for before she could even reach them the girl turned around and her face lit up.

"Mama!" she said happily almost forgetting she could be in deep shit for running off the way she had and screaming at Lena. But it didn't stop her from giving the blonde a hug even if she had just seen her hours ago.

"Hi my baby. I am so glad your ok." She said holding her tightly as Callie wrapped her arms around her waist.

"I'm sorry mama. I'm sorry I ran off." she said now pulling away and looking up into the blondes face. Stef couldn't help but look even more deeply into her eyes, at every line on her face, her expressions looking for any sign that she was hers.

"Yes I am sure you are my love but you're going to need to tell mom that too. We don't scream at people and run away like that Callie. I have told you that time and time again. Haven't I? Yes?"

"Yes." The girl nodded feeling somewhat ashamed.

"When we get home you are to apologize to mom is that understood?"

Callie nodded her head.

"Not good enough. I want to hear you."

"Yes mama."

"Good." She said gently planting a kiss on her forehead as she grabbed the girls hand walking over to Mike.

"Thanks Mike. Sorry about that."

"Not a problem. I enjoyed the company and was on break anyway." he said getting up as the blonde smiled.

"Mama we saved you the chocolate. Neither one of us like it. Want it?" Callie said as Stef looked down to the cups seeing that they both had devoured the vanilla leaving big mounds of chocolate. She was trying hard not to read into everything and notice every little sign but it was hard not too for they were all around.

"Well look at that. What are the odds."


	65. Will You Tell Him?

With only two days left until their wedding day and with the last few days being more stressful then anyone could imagine the family had decided to take a much needed break and have a night out of fun bowling. Stef, having divulged to Lena each and everything she had learned about herself and Callie's past was feeling like the weight of the world was somewhat lifted from her shoulders. Talking with her soon to be wife had surely put her mind more at ease for she felt as if she did not have to handle it alone. She would try her hardest her absolute hardest to accept Lena's help and support. Giving over control was not her strong point but it was something she would continue to work on. The curly haired woman could do nothing but try to process it best she could. But she had to admit it wasn't easy to wrap her mind around any of it. She knew it would certainly change many things, it might bring out more heartache and pain, and it would certainly bring its own fair share of deeper issues. But she was prepared for it, she was prepared to stand by her soon to be wife and daughter no matter what happened because the love she had for the both of them was stronger then anyone could imagine. When the blonde took Callie in almost six months ago they never in a million years would ever think or believe that she was possibility Stef's biological daughter. I mean who would think that and why? Of course she knew the two were very much alike but she always attributed that to just coincidence. Nonetheless if she truly was her daughter by birth that and many other things would make sense.

As the two women sat closely next to one another for the past hour they continued to display a certain amount of affection that they rarely had shown in public. Lena's hand gently rubbed the blondes back in circular motions as she couldn't help but study her striking profile. She could clearly see how taken the blonde was as she observed Callie and Mike together for he had come along to show the young teen how to bowl a strike along with Sharon and Dana. Lena of course clearly knew why the cop was observing so hard as a smile continued to form on her face. The cop was looking at how they interacted, she was looking at their mannerisms to see if any matched. The curly haired woman had to admit it was hard not to do that or not to read into everything for she was finding herself doing the same. Continuing to affectionately rub her back Stef let her hand fall on the woman's thigh as she now rubbed it with her thumb as she took a sip of her beer.

"How you feeling babe?" Lena soon spoke.

"I'm alright my love." She said glancing over to her and letting out a soft smile. "And you baby?"

"Good. I can't wait to be Mrs. Adams Foster if I'm honest." Lena said letting out another wide smile as she gently placed her hand on top of the blondes.

"Oh yeah? I can't wait for that either baby. I can't wait to have the same names." she winked as they leaned into each other softly kissing on the lips. The slim woman placed her hand on the back of Stef's soft short blonde hair that she loved.

"I bet your going to look sexy as hell tomorrow. And for the record..." She said leaning into the blondes ear. "I'd have sex with your right now if we could."

The blonde let out a wide grin.

"Lena Elizabeth Adams Foster. My how naughty you have become."

Lena blushed as Stef herself knew it had been awhile since they had been intimate. They both needed it. They needed it more then anything to feel one another once again.

"Trust me." the blonde said now leaning into the slim woman's ear. "If I could spread your legs open right now and lick your wet pussy I would. I'd lick it all night and finger your hole for hours."

"You're so bad." Lena said slapping Stef's arms playfully.

"Maybe but you like it." she winked taking another sip of her beer.

"All jokes aside Stef I bet you really will look beautiful tomorrow. And I can't tell you how much I love you. Just there's no words to express it. You're my life. Callie is my life and I just can't imagine you not being in it baby."

"Oh love. You are too. You really are and you are my world Lena. You are baby and you always will be." with that they leaned in once again softly kissing each other.

"Stef, no matter what happens I will stand by you and Callie. I hope you know that."

"I know you will. I know honey and that means alot to me. I just.." she trailed off looking to Callie once again as the young teen could be seen laughing and joking with Mike, Sharon and Dana.

"Just, I don't know what to say to Mike. I know I need to talk to him I just don't know how he 's going to respond." She said awkwardly laughing.

"Well you know him better then anyone. I can't imagine he wouldn't step up especially knowing if Callie is yours. He already has stepped up in many ways."

"I know. She likes him."

"He's good with her. I mean I know he'll be angry at the circumstances hell it's only natural. I think we are all angry about it."

"Just how could I not know Lena. How is that possible? How could I not feel that she was still out there? I Just..."

With that Lena gently placed her hand on the blondes face pushing it to look at her. She didn't want her to go down this road of blaming herself for she knew Stef was very good at that. But she couldn't let her for how could she know. It wasn't her fault. Not in anyway.

"Baby don't do that to yourself. You trusted your doctor just like those other women did and he violated that trust. He violated it horribly and what he did was unethical and a crime. Justina violated each and everyone one of those babies lives, she destroyed families and no one gets away with that. Karma is a bitch and I'm telling you we will find her even if I have to show up in uniform myself."

With that Stef let out a laugh.

"Well that is something I need to see. You in my uniform."

"Hey I could do it!"

"I know you could baby and I know you would do anything for Callie."

"I would." she said now looking herself at the teen as there hands remained locked other.

"That baby picture. It's like I can't get it out of my head Stef."

"You and me both love. But we won't know for sure without a DNA test. Another reason I need to talk to Mike."

"Just take your time. Do you want me to be there?"

"No I got it love. Don't you worry."she said letting out a wide smile as Stef had just seen Callie bowl a strike for the first time.

"Yeah my baby you did it!" She shouted as the young teen looked back glowing with excitement as she now ran over to her mothers.

"Mama I finally did it! I finally made a strike!"

"Yeah I saw babygirl! You show em what your made of my love!" the blonde encouraged as the young teen took a seat in her lap. Stef affectionately wrapped her arms around her waist as Callie faced Lena.

"I did it mom. Finally!"

"Of course you did honey! I knew you would just takes practice bug." The slim woman gently placed her hand on the girls thigh squeezing it for they had since made up from there afternoon disagreement.

"Mom?"

"Yes honey?"

"I'm sorry about this afternoon. I didn't mean to scream at you."

"Callie," Lena said placing her hands in both of Callie's for she could see the teen was still very much upset about it as Stef rubbed her back gently. "It's ok honey. We talked about this. I'm not angry at you. Not at all and what I need you to know is that I will always want to be your mother. Always. Nothing will ever make me not want to. But I want you to know I'm sorry you overheard me and mama, and I never meant to make you feel as If I don't want us to be a family. Sweetheart, you have no idea how much I want that. You're my little girl." She gently rubbed the girls cheek as her eyes glanced to Stef's which were tearing.

"Listen honey we all have had so much going on lately."

"That's an understatement." the blonde chimed in laughing as Callie smiled as well as Lena.

"True, and it's understandable that we get fed up. That's only normal but me and mama we want you to continue to learn how to talk to us especially when something is bothering you or has. It's very important Callie. Ok?"

"Ok."

"We love you bug." Lena smiled as she leaned in and kissed the girls forehead.

"Do you love mama?" Callie questioned as the blonde looked to Lena.

"Callie there is no other woman in this world that I love more then your mama. Yes she drives me insane but I could never imagine not being with her and with you." Her eyes grew soft as she exchange looks with the blonde.

"I love you too baby." Stef said leaning in and kissing Lena's lips.

"Ok moms get a room." the teen laughed as Stef now tickled the young girls stomach.

"Haha you watch yourself little missy!" Stef said as the teen grinned kissing her on the check.

"I love you both so much. You're the greatest moms in the world and I love having two mamas."

"Aww we love being your mamas." Lena said.

"Cals come on! Shake a leg kid it's your turn again!" Mike yelled waving Callie over.

"Alright, alright keep your pants on!"

Stef could only bust out laughing as the young girl got up.

"I love you moms."

"We love you too babygirl." Stef said winked as the young teen ran back over to her grandmothers and Mike.

"She's so sweet. Just like her mama Stef."The slim woman said as the cop looked into her soft brown eyes smiling as there hands once again slide into each others.

* * *

STEF POV

"I tell you Stef people get crazier and crazier." Mike said as he took a sip of coffee at the diner we usually frequented. However, this morning I decided to have an early breakfast with him alone to talk about Callie. I was definitely nervous more then anything and I knew any minute he would pick up on it.

"Oh yeah I know." I said nervously taking a sip of my own black coffee.

"Big day coming. Ever think you'd get married again?"

"No definitely not." I said awkwardly.

"You know. I'm happy for you though. I really am."

"Thanks Mike." As I still found myself stalling he now looked to me even harder.

"So whats up? You didn't invite me out this early to breakfast for no reason." he chuckled nervously.

"Yeah...I guess I didn't."

"Everything ok? You're making me nervous."

I sighed heavily now making eye contact with him for I needed to tell him and now.

"Mike, I don't know how to say this. I just don't and there's really no easy way for me to."

"Ok what? Now you're really scaring me. Are you sick or something?"

I swallowed hard as I was trying my hardest to find the easiest way to say this.

"No, no nothing like that."

"Ok then what?"

'Well, do you remember the night of my miscarriage. The second one about fourteen years ago when we lost Mikelya?"

"Yeah of course. How could I forget."

"Well do you remember Dr. Edwards?"

"Yeah. The OBGYN?"

"Yeah. Um it turns out he's been working with Justina Marks for years." my eyes still looking to his as his facial expression changed to confusion.

"What, what do you mean?"

"Well the private investigator I hired said the hosptial he worked at has a ton of lawsuits filed against them and him. Women have filed charges that he was involved with stealing their infants and telling mothers there babies had died when in fact they had not. Alot of those babies he gave to Justina. Over 100 Mike."

He was silent for a moment as I could see he was trying so hard to process what I had just told him as I wasn't fully sure if he understood where I was going.

"Stef, what are you saying? Are you trying to tell me Mikelya is alive? That he lied to us?"

"I don't know Mike. I don't know if she is or not but...

Digging in my bag I pulled the two baby photos out of me and Callie sliding it across the table as he looked to them.

"The one on the left is me. The one on the right is Callie."

His eyes stared almost too like he had seen a ghost.

"Mike, thing is Callie was stolen as a baby. She was sold most likely to a couple but was special needs. She was born premature." I stuttered but he continued to stare at the photos not taking his eyes off for a minute.

"Stef what are you telling." he said now looking straight at me as I swallowed hard.

"Mike, I'm trying to tell you that Callie might be ours. That Callie might be Mikelya."

* * *

 **Next chapter the DNA test. But we will still need to wait for results. And the wedding is coming soon!**

 **I wonder how Mike is feeling?**


	66. The Morning Of

STEF POV

"I, I don't think this looks right mom." I said adjusting my pants and satin white bra in the mirror.

"Nonsense. You don't have all the pieces on so it's going to look off. Put the top on baby." My mother said walking over to me and handing me the button down satin shirt. Carefully I put my arms in the sleeves and looked into her eyes hesitantly as she buttoned it for me.

"Why am I so nervous? Why? It's just a wedding mom."

"Well, my guess is that you are committing to the woman of your dreams. And that's ok."

"Yeah. I guess."

"Baby you are beautiful. You are. And you are an amazing strong woman. You hear me?" I could only nod as I looked deeper into my mothers eyes that were so sensitive and warm. Gently she placed both of her hands on my cheeks that she applied a tiny bit of blush to earlier.

"What is it baby. Is it just nerves? Or something else?"

"Oh mama I just can't help..." I said sitting down on the bed. "Just this whole thing. I'm a wreck over it."

"Oh baby doll. I know its weighing heavy on your mind. But one day at a time. The point is that right now your're a family no matter what. If Callie is biologically yours wonderful. If not so what and then we all go looking for the little girl that was taken while making sure that our baby knows we love her and she is yours no matter what."

I sighed heavily now looking to the picture of my little on my nightstand. Picking it up I could only smile at it.

"Stefanie this little girl is yours no matter what. No matter what some DNA test says or not."

"Mom if she's not an Mikelya is out there I would never ever want Callie to feel like she's not my little girl. That I don't love her. I love her more then life itself. "

"I know you do baby. I know that and so does she."

"Well I just can't help thinking if she's not mine then some family is out there maybe looking for her. I can't loose her mama and what if my baby was stolen and what if...I.

"Honey you have to relax. You need to before you give yourself a heart attack. This is the kind of thing that we have to wait on as much as a pain in the ass that is. We have to wait to see what the blood test says to know 100 percent for sure. And we go from there."

"Yeah." I sighed to myself.

"Was Callie suspicious?"

"No. I told her the blood test was just a check up."

"And Mike? How is he since you told him." I looked to her and let out another sigh.

"Well he's certainly angry for sure. I've honestly never seen him that angry ever. I had to stop him from going off on his own and killing this doctor potentially and hunting down Justina alone. I mean shit I want to get both of them too but we have to be smart about this."

"Well I can understand that. I really can. But how is he feeling about Callie potentially being yours?"

"I honestly don't know. I haven't heard from him since we had breakfast together. He texted me that he got his blood drawn but that was it. I'm not even sure if he's showing up today."

"Men are different then woman babygirl that's for sure and I'm pretty sure he's coming honey. But Stefanie I wouldn't worry about any of this today. It's your day and lets put all this stuff to the side ok?" I looked to her smiling.

"I will certainly try mama."

"Ok then come sit in the chair and let me finish your makeup. Come on baby you have a big day."

"Alright but not too much."

"Yes yes hush up I know what I'm doing." She said as I rolled my eyes smiling taking a seat. Sitting there quietly I watched her carefully finishing my makeup. Something I really knew nothing about if I was honest for I never real wore it.

"I'm glad you're here mom. I really am." I said as she now looked into my eyes lifting my chin up as she applied eye shadow.

"Babygirl I am too and I wouldn't miss this day for the world."

"I love you." My voice cracking.

"I love you too my baby." She kissed me softly on the forehead as we soon heard a knock at the door. Judging by how soft it was I knew it was my daughter.

"Come in babygirl!" I yelled remaining still.

"Mama do you know where..." Callie said rushing in but as she walked closer to me her face froze as I looked over to her. She was surly beautiful herself and my face almost froze as well seeing her dressed up in her wedding clothes and her hair in long beautiful wavy curls with the satin white hair clip pined in it. I could see my mother had applied a faint amount of makeup but she was absolutely beautiful as I smiled wide at her and she smiled just as wide at me.

"Oh mama you look so beautiful. You're so beautiful." She said to me as I could see tears in her eyes.

"Oh love don't cry. What's wrong?" I grabbed both of her hands as she stood in front of me.

"Nothing you just, you're so beautiful mama."

"Aww my love. Thank you. Thank you sweetness." she hugged me warmly as I soon pulled away.

"But let me look at you. Look how beautiful you are my girl." She smiled wide at me as she gently touched my face.

"So are you mama."

"Oh Grandma there's some guy at the door. Something about flowers."

"Flowers? Oh! Let me go see. Finish your mama's makeup Callie." My mother said rushing off as she handed Callie the eye shadow.

"Its ok love I can finish it."

"Can I?" she questioned as her big brown eyes looked into mine. I really couldn't believe how beautiful she did look as my heart could only wish she was biologically mine.

"Sure honey." She smiled once again at me as she gently positioned my face and began to apply the eye shadow my mother stared with.

"Hold still mama." her voice soft as I remained still. Her face was so concentrated and determined.

"I hope I grow up to be as beautiful as you."

"Love, you are already more beautiful then me. You are gorgeous with those pretty long wavy curls, those pretty brown eyes and that smile. Makes my heart melt."

She smiled widely.

"I think I want to be a police officer." said adamantly as she finished the last of my makeup.

"Well my love you have plenty of time to figure out what you want to be. I know you want to help children."

"I do. But I also want to fight injustice. I don't like people getting away with things that aren't right mama. I want to make a difference and I want to be strong like you."

Looking to her she placed the makeup up down as I held both of her hands.

"My love you are very strong you always have been."

"As strong as you?"

"Stronger. Remember everything you have been through and how far you have come. The odds you have beat my love.I know it wasn't always easy I know most of your life wasn't easy . But look at you." She turned her head to look in the mirror as I did as well as my heart was melting. In my mind and I think in my heart I always knew there was something different about Callie and I had always felt this connection with her that was hard to explain.

"I have something for you."

"Yes love?" I said surprised.

I looked to her as she pulled something out of her pocket that was wrapped as she handed it to me.

"What's this babygirl?"

"Open it mama." she smiled as I gently opened the little wrapped gift. It was three bracelets. One gold, one silver, and one mixed with gold and silver. I touched them as I could feel my heart almost exploding as I now looked back up to her.

"The gold one represents mom. The silver is you and I'm the one with gold and silver. I guess there like friendship bracelets but more meaningful. I got them awhile ago but wasn't sure when I would give them to you. I figured now was a good time." I looked up to her as tears now filled my eyes for it was the sweetest gift ever.

"Callie come here baby. Sit on my lap." She quickly moved and sat on my leg as I looked in her eyes.

"This is so sweet my baby. It really is and you have no idea what it means to me."

"Just, I don't know. In case things don't work out we have it to remember each other by and stay connected."

"Love what do you mean if things don't work out. Whats wrong?"

"I don't know I'm scared mama. I'm just so happy more then I ever have been and I'm just scared. Scared that I will loose you and mom."

Looking to her I didn't know what to say as I knew it was hard for Callie not to struggle with losing us. It was important I reassured her as much as I could despite everything going on I couldn't tell her anything until we knew for sure.

"Baby I know it's scary if you love something so much and are so happy that you are terrified it will get taken away from you. But we can't live in fear like that baby and you aren't going anywhere. Mom is not going anywhere and I am certainty not going anywhere. No matter what. Understand?"

She looked into my eyes and nodded.

"These bracelets are beautiful honey but don't think of them in such a away. To me they represent the bond you and I have and the bond you and mom have and the bond all three of us have that will never ever break. Ever. Ok baby?"

"Ok mama." She smiled widely hugging me hard.

"Now how about we go do this wedding thing my girl."

"Ok mama." she said gracing my hair with her fingers as I soon heard my mother walk back in the room.

"Um Stefanie baby."

"Yeah mom."

"Telephone." But as I turned to look at her, her face was almost white as a ghost.

* * *

 **The wedding is coming soon!**

 **Who do you guys think is on the phone?**


	67. An Unexpected Source

**Sorry for the delay had a tough time figuring out the next chapter! I hope it's ok and thank you for following this story for 7 months! :)**

FLASHBACK

 _"Mike I'm scared. I'm in so much pain I'm scared." Stef said holding onto the cops hand as the EM's wheeled her down the hospital hallway. The blonde was in terrible pain and hemorrhaging._

 _"I know you are. I know babe it's ok. I'm right here with you. It will be ok. It will be ok Stef." Mike tried to sooth his wife the best he could but was finding it hard for he was nervous himself. There night had been pretty normal until the blonde had woken him up in pain and bleeding. Mike knew he had no time to get her to the hosptial himself so he called an ambulance which had come within a matter of minutes. The dark haired man had never seen his wife so scared ever and that was a clue to him that she was in a significant amount of pain. But he was also worried at the amount of blood she had been loosing and was concerned about not only her heath but the babies. Those were his major concerns._

 _"The baby Mike. I just hope shes ok. What if.." Stef's eyes filling with tears as he continued to hold her hand tightly._

 _"Babe, I'm sure she's fine. I don't want you to worry. I'm sure shes ok. Just try to relax." He soothed once again as Dr. Edwards came rushing down the hall to them._

 _"Mrs. Foster I'm here we will take care of you. It will be ok. Wheel her into room 2. She needs immediate attention." He commanded to the EMS as they began to push the blonde but Mike refused to let go of his wife's hand._

 _"Mike.." the blondes voice soft but her hand remaining tight inside her husband._

 _"Stef don't worry I'm not leaving you. Ill be right here." He said continuing to look into her soft and terrified eyes._

 _"Mr. Foster we will take care of her. I promise but we need to examine her so I need for you to sit in the waiting room."_

 _"Are you kidding! I'm not leaving my wife alone! She's scared and she needs me. Get the hell out my way!"_

 _"Sir! You cannot! We need to work..._

 _"She's loosing blood! I need to be with her!"_

 _"Sir please let us do our jobs. Please. We will take care of your wife but we can't let you in.. I promise you I will be out shortly to tell you how she is. Please or I will need to call security."_

 _Mike let out a loud sigh speechless as the doctor hurried the blonde into the room leaving the nervous cop standing there praying and hoping everything would be ok. But it was anything but that for as he waited hours and tried to sleep even for a few moments Dr. Edwards had preformed a c- section promising a corrupt woman a baby. He knew it was risky for he knew the baby had a very very slim chance of surviving if any. Handing the young and very premature baby to a nurse who attached a portable breathing mask to her face he glanced to Mrs. Foster who had he put under anesthesia as her body lay still and lifeless._

 _"What will you tell her?" Nurse Lewis said wrapping Mikelya Foster up best she could. She couldn't believe how small the baby was and that she was actually breathing as she now looked back to her mother. Her heart at that moment felt a pang of hurt and extreme guilt for she knew what she was doing was wrong. It was wrong in so many ways that she couldn't bring herself to even think about it._

 _"Is the baby breathing?" He asked ignoring her question._

 _"Yes. She seems to be a very strong one. But she won't last long without a machine doctor."_

 _"We will just tell the mother what we have told the the others. No heartbeat and the baby died. Simple as that." He said as she began to stitch up the c-section best he could._

 _"And the father. Hes's been asking about his wife for hours."_

 _"I'll take care of him. Just get this baby to the woman. We need to be quick about this."_

 _"Won't they ask to see her. We can't just.._

 _"Listen, just do as I've said and stop asking all these damm questions. You will get your cut but not if this baby dies. So hurry the hell up."_

 _"Doctor I just..._

 _"Look your loosing your home and everything aren't you? You want to help your sick mother? Last time I checked you had a ton of financial problems. So if you want help you better shut you trap and do as I say."_

 _Nurse Lewis nodded as she placed the baby in a bag rushing to the parking lot where she met with Justina Marks who quickly took the bag. But the woman felt horrible. She did more then anything and she just didn't know how long she could keep such a horrible secret. She just didn't._

FLASHBACK ENDS

As Stef Foster took the phone from her mother she hesitantly held it up to her ear. She had no idea who the hell it could be none at all.

"Stef Foster." She said softly as Sharon looked to her swallowing hard now looking to Callie who remained standing close to her mother.

"Baby doll, why don't you go gather up the the wedding favors and cards for me ok? We need to get ready to go soon." Sharon said to the young teen as continued to stare at her mother.

"Is mama ok?"

"Yes, yes shes fine. Go ahead sweetie. It's ok." she smiled as Callie hesitantly did as she was told and Sharon closed the door softly at the risk of the young girl hearing something. Walking closer to her daughter who now stood up Sharon knew very well who was on the other end as she waited for her daughter to speak.

"Who's speaking?" The blonde said now taking a seat on the bed as Sharon sat next to her.

"Hi um Mrs. Foster. You don't know me but my name is Deborah Lewis. I was a nurse at Sacramento Memorial Hospital 14 years ago."

"Ok." Stef said swallowing hard as Sharon held her hand. "And um what can I do for you?"

"I um worked under Dr. Edwards."

Stef now remained silent as she was waiting for the woman to continue not really sure of what she was going to say.

"Ok." the blonde responded cautiously and she could tell the woman was having a hard time saying what she needed to say.

"Listen, I um I know I will most likely go to jail for this. I know I will but I just, I just can't live with this anymore. I just can't and I' so sorry. I'm so sorry for the pain I put you through and the heartache. You have no idea how horrible I feel."

"Live with what? What are you saying to me? And how did you even get my number? I don't understand."

"Ms. Foster your baby didn't die." she blurted out.

"Excuse me?"

"Your baby didn't die. I told you I worked under Dr Edwards. I was the one who gave your baby to that woman."

With this Stef was speechless. She was more speechless then anything as she could suddenly feel somewhat faintish. What in the hell could she say. What in the hell as she looked to her mother.

"Are you still there?" Nurse Lewis said as the blonde couldn't find any words to say. None at all.


	68. No Ordinary Wedding

**HI all if you read this chapter I did some major changes. Also something was wrong with the previous file and I had to re upload it. Sorry if you are getting another email about this chapter.-Stef1981**

LENA POV

As we stood there together finally facing each another, our hands locked together tightly I couldn't think of a place I'd rather be. Actually there was no place I'd rather be. It felt as if it had taken a lifetime to get here, a lifetime to meet the woman I was meant to share my the rest of my life with and a lifetime to find this kind of happiness. Stef was glowing more then I had ever seen her before, her smile was the widest it had ever been and my heart was filled with so much love that I could hardly contain it. Of course there had always been this part of me that didn't ever believe we would be standing here for Stef had been so hesitant about getting married. Of course I knew why, I knew she was afraid I believe and I think she was very much still embarrassed about being gay. It wasn't always an easy thing to accept and it wasn't easy coming out so late in life. I never expected her transition or acceptance to be a smooth one. Nonetheless she had come a tremendous way from when I first met her, where she was still very much closeted. Now she was much more open as each and everyday I had watched her become the person she is and was truly meant to be. Glancing back into her warm and soft eyes as I held her hands she held mine. Hers were strong, affectionate and soft. The intensity of her gaze was one that was filled with so much passion and determination for it was something I could not look away from as Callie now walked over placing the ring in her mothers hand. Slowly but surely Stef sensitively spoke her vows to me pushing her shyness away as she revealed each and every honest feeling she had about me and our love. Openly she spoke, openly she smiled that smile I fell in love with and openly she gently rubbed the side of my face cupping it with her gently hand. My eyes at this moment there were only tears flowing from them.

"Lena Elizabeth there are no words to express how much I love you. None at all. From the first time I saw you I knew I couldn't live without you, never again could I. You have become my best friend, my heart, my soul and there is no other woman in this world I would ever, ever want to be with or could ever imagine being with. You are the one I want to look at every single day, you are the one I want to wake up next to every morning, you are the one I want to sleep next to every night, you are the one I want to share my life with, share our daughter's life with. You are the one I want to experience life with. I want you to know I promise from this day on to love you no matter what, to always be there for you no matter what, and to make you happy no matter what. I love you sweetheart. I love you more then you will ever ever know." Her face was filled with so much emotion as I could see she was trying so hard to hold back her tears as I held my hand out. Gently she held it sliding the ring on. It was beautiful as the diamonds shimmered on my hand and our eye soon met again. By this point I was almost speechless as I could see tears trickle down her face as Callie handed me the other ring I smiled wide at her. She could only smile back as tears from from her eyes as well.

"Stefanie Marie I love you. I love you so much that you will never fully understand how far it goes. You from day one have been my life, my world and my soulmate. Its hard to believe what my life was like before you and it's hard to believe you were not always in it. To be honest I am not sure what I did because you have made it worth living more and more each day. I believe you have been the person I have searched for my entire life and there is no one in this world like you. None one and it feels as if we are like two souls wrapped up in the same skin forever bonded. Forever, and I love you. You my love, my amazing beautiful love are a piece of work. But you are my piece of work and promise to love you, and to cherish you for the rest of our lives no matter what challenges or heartache or happiness it may bring us. I love you baby." My eyes were now tearing harder then ever as were hers as I slid the ring on her finger.

" I love you too baby." she mouthed to me as my father continued to ceremony.

"Lena Elizabeth do you take Stefanie Marie as your lawful wife to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?"

"I do." I said smiling now wiping a tear.

"Stefanie Marie do you take Lena Elizabeth to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?"

"I do."

"I now pronounce you..." but before my father could finish Stef gently grabed my face and kissed my lips with more passion then I could ever imagine as I leaned into her as we heard the clapping and cheering from all our friends and family.

"I love you baby. I Love you so much." She said as she pulled away a bit speaking softly to me as tears continued to roll down my face. A few moments later we leaned in once again not wanting to pull apart for anything. To now know this woman was my wife, that I would wake up next to her every single day of my life, that we would share a life together left me feeling the happiest I could ever feel.

* * *

The day had been a beautiful one as the family spent it laughing, dancing and enjoying the company of one another. Both women had been more affectionate with each other more then they ever had been as they now swayed in each others arms dancing as Stef held Lena closely to her there faces leaning on each others.

"Are you enjoying yourself baby?" Stef said softly as Lena remained closer then ever to her. Lena how wrapped her arms around the blondes neck as Stef held her waist close.

"I am. I am so happy to be with you Stef. I am so happy to celebrate this day with you and our family, our daughter. I am so proud to be Lena Adams Foster finally."

"I am too baby. I am too. It's been a long time since we have been able to really enjoy each other." she said pushing Lena a little more into her as she felt her warm body. Stef didn't want to spoil the day with the news she had heard even if it was very hard to keep it from Lena. She just wanted her to focus on the day and how wonderful it was and still was.

"And might I add how beautiful you look baby in that dress." the blonde whispered as Lena looked into her eyes admiring the beautiful cop who was now hers forever.

"And you look beautiful and not to mention sexy." Lena admitted. "I cant wait to get you naked."

"Ha!" the blonde laughed. "Well I won't lie I can't wait to get you naked either my love. I can't wait to slide this dress off not to mention what's on under it." She winked as Lena could only blush as the two woman softly kissed each other again.

"Are you happy we got married?"

"What kind of a question is that baby. Of course I am. I don't regret this one bit." the cop said looking confused toward her wife. "Why do you ask love?"

"No reason I am just you know making sure. There's just so much going on I didn't want you to feel like I was pushing you or..

"Lena, sweetheart, I am very, very happy we got married. This is honestly the happiest day of my life. Saying my vows to you, telling everyone how I feel about you. Showing our daughter how much we love each other. Baby please don't ever doubt that. Yes?"

"Yes. I won't."

"And we might always have things going on. But I don't want to stop our life because of it or stop our plans my love. Then we would never do anything." she chuckled.

"Oh how that is so true Mrs. Adams Foster."

"That sounds so amazing to hear Mrs. Adam Foster."

"Stef I love you. I love you so much and you have no idea how happy I am to be your wife."

"I have some idea sweetness. I do and I am just as happy that you are my wife. I don't want anyone else. I love you forever."

* * *

STEF POV

I had to admit the wedding was beautiful and seeing my wife and saying our vows had been one of the most amazing things. Pushing my shyness away and my embarrassment and reservations about being gay had certainly given me a new sense of freedom. It was and had been important for me to show her how much I loved her, to show her I was ok with myself and with this and to show my daughter there was nothing to be ashamed of. I admit I did feel different as I felt happier, I felt complete knowing Lena and I were married now. It wasn't just a piece of paper it was more then that and it always would be. As I watched my wife interact with our daughter the phone conversation I had with Nurse Lewis continued to plague my mind all day. I think I had done a good job of hiding it even if that proved to be extremely difficult. Seeing Mike didn't help matters for he had been unusually quiet and I could tell he was almost avoiding Callie for some reason or another. We had not gotten the results of the blood test back yet but I already knew the answer. I knew Callie was ours.

"Hey." I heard Mike say as I turned to see him standing next to me drinking a class of wine.

"Hey. Um are you suppose to be drinking that?" I asked eyeballing his glass.

"It's fine it just a glass Stef. It's a wedding. Lighten up." he chuckled.

"Mike is that how you really want to handle this. Last time I checked and I'm sure your sponser would agree with me that drinkign is not a good idea."

"Stef lay off. It has nothign to do with that. I'm just having a good time. Lay off." He said walking away clearly annoyed for he knew he wasn't fooling me. I knew why he was drinking and so did he. Guilt. What worried me the most is he didn't know any of what I did right now. He had no idea that Callie was ours and now more then ever I was worried about how he would handle it. Not that I was handling it any better by keeping it locked up all day since this morning which was not only exhausting but distracting. I had wanted to tell Lena I had wanted to but I just couldn't bring myself to. I wanted her so badly to enjoy the day. But as I now glanced over to her and Callie I could only smile. Smile at the little girl who I could see did resemble a bit of me and Mike. My brain which now allowed me to think this but my brain and my heart was also broken. The guilt I felt was beyond words, the sorrow, the loss, the pain and the confusion. There was only so much I could really handle as I now took two champagne glasses deciding to join them.

Walking over my little girl glanced to me smiling widely. I was wondering who's smile she had. Mine or Mikes. Either way I loved it.

"Hi my loves." I said as Callie got up and sat on my lap. Looking to Lena I softly kissed her lips.

"Hi baby. Champagne for you." I said handing her the glass as she let out a smile.

"Thank you honey."

"So Cals wheres your friend Mariana? She couldn't make it sweets?" I said noticing the young girl had not shown.

"No. Her grandparents wouldn't let her come because..."

But as she trailed off I knew what it was unfortunately as my daughter looked to the ground and I glanced to Lena who's face grew concerned.

"Because we are gay honey?" Lena asked and I could see Callie nodding her head.

"I don't understand moms."

"We know honey. But there are people who don't believe us getting married is right. People will always have their opinions and sometimes it hurts. We just have to work through it and continue to believe in things and fight for what we know is right. We can't change everyone's opinions honey and I'm sorry you had to experience that my girl." Lena said speaking softly. "I'm sure Mariana feels bad about it. And I'm sure she might feel like you're angry with her. But don't be honey." Callie looked to me now as I let out a soft smile and gently tucked her long hair behind her ear.

"I'm not mad at her. I just wished she could have come."

"I know sweets. It's not easy to stand up to things when you're young and even old. Especially when your family is against it. It's hard love. Just don't hold it against her. Ok?"

"Ok."

I could only kiss her once again as she now wrapped her arms around my neck leaning her head on me.

"I love you mama. I love you more then yesterday and the day before that." she whispered softly as it melted my heart.

"I love you too baby. I Love you so so much."

"I love you too mom." her gaze turning to Lena who smiled warmly at her affectionately squeezing her thigh.

"I love you too bug.

"I'm gonna get more cake. You want some moms?"

"No sweets we are good." I answered as Callie stood up.

"I love you both." she smiled once again.

"We love you too my girl." Lena said as we watched our little girl walk away.

Picking up my champagne glass I moved in closer to Lena and laced my fingers into hers.

"Everything ok baby?" she soon asked as I was wondering how transparent I actually was. I knew she could read me and I knew I couldn't keep it in much longer.

"Sure baby. Just enjoying the night and being with you." I said leaning in and kissing her lips softly once again. But I could see on her face she wasn't convinced.

"I'm enjoying my time with you too but what's wrong honey?"

"Nothing babe. I'm good. Honest."

"Stefanie Marie Adams Foster you're not fooling me."

With this I turned to look at her.

"Damm not even married for what two hours and you're already calling me by my full name." I chuckled awkwardly.

"Well you leave me no choice. What's wrong?"

"Oh love I don't want to spoil our day. This is our day not to worry about any issues or problems or..

"Stef we just said our vows. Did you not just here? No matter what challenges no matter what difficulties no matter when. Please tell me." Lena insisted as I let out a sigh putting my glass down. I really didn't want to say any of what I had found out but I knew the more I kept it inside the more persistent and possibly angry Lena would get. I let out a heavy sigh now glancing to her once again as she waited patiently for me to talk.

"Well, I got a phone call this morning."

"Oh, the DNA?" she whispered.

"No. Um from a nurse."

"A nurse? What, from where?" her face turning confused.

"A nurse from Sacramento Memorial that worked with Dr. Edwards 14 years ago." I blurted out.

"What? What, what did she say?"

"Well, she told me she saw the doctor preform an unnecessary c-section on me. She told me my little girl never died and that she was the one who handed her over to Justina." With that I looked to Lena who remained speechless.

"Oh my god, oh my." she manged to get out.

"I know. I'm not sure what to say myself."

"I mean do you think she's telling the truth?"

"Yeah. She basically stuck her neck out and she knows she's going to be prosecuted. Said at the time she needed the money her mother was sick and they were loosing there home. Said my baby could barley breath on her own." I could feel the tears begin to form in my eyes and my voice crack for the more I said it the more it seemed real.

"Oh baby.I, I am so sorry. I am so sorry my love."

"I know my love. I know I just, well..." I now looked to her. "We don't need that DNA test. The nurse told me my little girl was the only girl born that day and the only Caucasian baby born that day. Apparently Justina promised a babygirl to a rich couple and the woman that was supposed to go into labor never did. Had I not shown up that night it would have never happened. Never. It would not have happened and my baby would have been ok, she would have went home with me..and.." But I didn't get to finish as she grabbed me hugging me harder then ever as tears fell from my eyes. Truth was I felt horrible about this, I was in so much pain about this and the guilt I felt was beyond anything. My baby endured a horrible life, one I could never erase, one she would never ever forget and for that reason alone I didn't ever know if I would forgive myself.

"What am I going to tell her baby. What am I going to tell Callie?" I whispered leaning even more into Lena as she continued to hold me even harder. However little did I know that Mike had received his a phone call from San Diego Memorial Hospital confirming the DNA results in fact were a match and that Callie was indeed our daughter.


	69. Results

With the DNA results in confirming that Callie was most certifiably Mike and Stef's biological daughter the new couple had decided to postpone there honeymoon. The blonde did not want any of this to overshadow their wedding but the reality was the timing of it all had. A few hours after cutting the cake, and a few hours after the blonde had shared everything with her now wife the hospital had called both Stef and Mike revealing the DNA was a match. Still in her wedding clothes and with all the guest leaving Mike felt a lump in his throat, he felt his stomach turn for on the one hand he was more then happy that Callie was his daughter but on the other hand he was furious, he was angry and he was distraught.

"Babygirl I think you and your wife should go. At least for one night you need to celebrate your wedding." Sharon said as she took a seat next to her daughter.

"Yeah mama I know."

"Dana and I can handle it. One night won't make a difference. If you can clear your mind.

"Mike was trashed tonight mom." the blonde said shaking her head.

"Listen taking care of your ex husband is not a concern. If he wants to drink his problems away again then he does. Focus on you, your daughter and your wife. How you all will handle this. Let him take care of his problems and come to terms with this reality. Don't take on everyone's issues honey."

"There's so much to do mom. A lot more investigating, tracking people down and Justina..I.."Stef could only let out a sigh as her head was now killing her. "Not to mention tell my baby. I.."

"Honey. Take the night with your wife. Enjoy yourselves. When you come back we will face this as a family. You are not alone. Ok?" the red head said holding her cheek softly as she could continue to see the look of panic and worry on the blondes face. "It will be ok baby. We will get through this as a family. Ok?"

"Yeah. I know. I know mom." Gently the blonde held her mother's hand seeking more comfort in it then ever.

* * *

"Grandma we should watch Halloween." Callie said as she placed her feet up on the coffee table drinking the rest of the apple cider from the wedding while the red head sat closely next to her.

"Oh goodness that is certainly not something I am watching, and I don't think your Gran would want to see that either."

"You are right about that. It sounds horrifying." Dana said coming over and placing some popcorn and snacks on the table.

"You guys are chicken! It's nothing." The teen shrugged off taking a bite into the cookies. " But you think moms are having fun?"

"I think they are. Lord knows they need it." Sharon said leaning her head back on the couch.

"That they do." Dana expressed. "So Callie Halloween is out pick something else that won't scare us to death please honey."

"Well, maybe.." but as she was about the continue all three women heard a strange noise at the door.

"Steffff we need to talk. Stefff."

"What in the world?" The red head looked to Dana unsure of what they were hearing as Callie proceeded to get up with her Gran blocking her.

"No no honey. Why don't you go on in your room and look for a movie." Dana said more concerned then ever as the winning of Stefs name continued. From what she could hear it sounded like a mans voice.

"But Gran..

"Stef! Open up. Please we need to talk."

"It sounds like Mike." Callie confirmed as she looked back and forth to both her grandmothers.

"Ok honey you heard what Gran said. In your room now. Please." Sharon demanded in a serious manner as Callie hesitantly went to her room closing the door behind her. But she was more upset then ever for she could clearly hear and tell that Mike was very much drunk. The disappoint was overwhelming for she knew he had been acting strange at the wedding but wasn't sure why.

As the girl remained in her room the two women looked to one another as they both got up opening the door to see Mike on the floor.

"Stef..."

"No Mike it's not Stef." Sharon said annoyed more then ever. "You have a lot of nerve showing up here like this. You need to go home."

"I can't.I need, need to talk to my wife." He slurred trying to stand up and holding onto the wall.

"Wife? You have no wife here. You and Stef are divorced. I will call you a cab but you need to go." Dana now said just as irritated as Sharon.

"I can't I need to see my daughter. I need, need to see Callie. Callie!" he yelled

"Keep your voice down. Keep it down now. Don't you dare say one word to that child. Not one or we will have your balls." Sharon whispered in an angry tone.

"You can't keep me from her. I need to tell her I'm sorry. That, that her father is sorry for what happened!"

Both woman at this point moved into the hallway closing the door behind them to prevent the chance of Callie hearing anything for it was evident that Mike would not lower his voice.

"Mike listen to me. I will call you a cab but you need to go home and rest this off. No one is talking to you when your drunk." the red head said looking into his eyes.

"That-That is my daughter in there! And I fucked up. I fucked up and..." But as Sharon grabbed him to lead him downstairs he began to cry. He cried harder then any man she had ever seen cry and all she could do was hug him. Hug him tighter then she ever imagined for she had no idea how he felt. She had no idea the pain he must be feeling, or the pain Callie would soon be feeling or the pain her daughter was feeling for all the years they lost with there little girl, for all the years thinking she had died only to find out she had grown up in a miserable foster care system. Only to find out she was sold to the highest bidder and left on a doorstep when she became to much of a burden. She could only comfort them all the best she knew how as the three of them pushed and would soon deal this new journey in their life.

* * *

 **Do you guys think Callie heard Mike?**


	70. A Honeymoon

"Wow this place is beautiful Stef."

"It is wow." the blonde said looking around at the hotel her mother and Dana had reserved for them for the night of their honeymoon. She wanted more then anything to give Lena what she deserved but in the back of her mind she was worried about everything happening and that would, especially in terms of her daughter. A couple of hours ago she had gotten a strange voicemail from Mike and instantly knew he had been drunk. It was't hard to see the effects this was having on the both of them but they would need to push their feelings aside, deal with it and try to help their daughter once they spoke to falling back into his old habits was unacceptable in her eyes and it only frustrated her to no end. Forcing a smile on her face at the site of her now wife she walked around herself admiring the place and putting their bags down.

"Can we live here?" Lena joked looking out on the balcony as the blonde checked her phone for the third time and the slim woman turned around seeing her.

"Stef, I'm positive Callie is ok. Stop worrying so much baby."

"I'm not worried Lena. Just I never...

"I know. You have never left her alone. I know honey. But she's with our mother's you know she's safe. Remember we said we were leaving our issues at home for the night and we're just going to enjoy one another?" she said taking the phone from her hands and throwing it on the bed." And that means we get to play with one another as loud as we want Mrs. Adams Foster." she smirked as the blonde let out a wide smile.

"Oh yeah Mrs. Adams Foster? And how are we doing that baby?" she asked staring deeply into the slim woman's eyes as Lena wrapped her arms around Stef's neck. Now running her fingers through her short blonde haircut that she loved more then anything as the two leaned into each other softly kissing. Twirling their tongues around each other's Lena soon pulled away smiling at her wife.

"MM I brought some toys."

"Toys?" Stef asked her face revealing shock for up until this point Lena was pretty tame in the bedroom. They both were to be exact.

"Yes sexy. I figured we could spice things up tonight especially since we are married now and we have to keep it fresh." Walking to her suitcase the slim woman placed it on the bed opening it as Stef walked over curious taking a seat on the bed.

Her eyes soon widened at what Lena pulled out of the bag.

"Wow."

"Double dildo."

"And hot pink too." Lena placed it in Stef's had and she awkwardly touched it unsure of how she felt about it.

"We can try it babe. Or we can try this." She said handing her the strap on as the blonde's face continued to grow more and more uncomfortable.

"Ok, who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?"

"Ha! I can be dirty Stefanie Marie Sexy Adams Foster. I can be real dirty."Lena now positioned herself on the cops lap with her thighs on either end of the blonde as she began to slowly unbutton her shirt revealing her bra.

"Tell me you don't want to try it baby. It's been awhile beautiful." Her hands rubbing the blonde's shoulders as she slide her plaid shirt off. "And you look so damm sexy today."

"I know it has my love. I know." she whispered feeling Lena biting on her neck and sucking it which was a lot easier now with her short hair as quiet moans soon escaped her mouth.

"Then what's wrong honey. You don't want to make love?" Gently the slim woman cupped the blondes cheek rubbing it with her thumb. She could read her so well and knew she was in so much pain and conflicted. It was hard not to be as he was in pain herself over the entire situation. She wanted them to enjoy their night she did but she didn't want to force anything.

"Of course I do sweetheart. Of course I want to make love to wife." her eyes stared so deeply into Lena as she rubbed her hands on her soft thighs.

"Baby, it's ok you know. We can take it slow. I know your mind is overloaded. I can see it. I can see how burdened you are baby and if you just want to lay in the bed naked and talk we can do that too. I don't need sex I only need you."

Stef could only look down now not wanting to let her emotions consume her. Lena had been patient from day one with Callie and she only continued to be even more patient as she still continued to put her dreams on hold for the sake of them both. Feeling the light skin woman continue to rub the back of her head the blonde now looked into her eyes once again which were glassy.

"Lena I love you. You have no idea baby how much I love you and I want this night to be special no matter what is going on. No matter what we will need to face when we get back, no matter what Callie will need to face or Mike or any of us. This night is for you and me baby. You and me only my wife."

With that Lena gently wiped Stef's tears as she leaned into her and there lips met softly kissing one another more passionately then they ever had.

* * *

As Callie laid in her bed with tears streaming down her face she couldn't help but replay the night's events over and over in her head. After Mike had left she pretended to be asleep to prevent a talk with her grandmother's. The teen was well aware that Mike was drunk, and she had heard him say he was her father. But how that was possible she had no idea. Non at all for she was more confused then she could ever be in her life. Confused and angry. For if Mike was indeed her father then was Stef her birth mother? But why would she lie? Why would she pretend? Or did she even know? Was this the reason she ended up with her? None of it made sense to her at all. None for she was told her parents were drug addicts who dumped her at some place in Michigan. But were those her real parents or were Stef and Mike? Were they the one's who dumped her maybe and if so how did she end up Michigan if they lived in San Diego. None of it made sense to her as all she could do was toss and turn for hours as it was no almost 2 in the morning. There was no way she was going to get any sleep and she needed to get out, she needed to talk to someone and there was no way it would be Stef or Lena. Whoever they were to her she wasn't so sure anymore.

Pulling out her cell she looked to it seeing a missed call from her mother and a text.

 _Night baby girl! Mom and I love you. See you tomorrow. -xoxo Moms_

 _Feeling nothing but instant anger normally she would replay but she cleared the message and instead quickly texted Mariana._

Feeling angry and unsure of who to talk to she quickly pulled her cell out and texted Mariana the only other person she thought she could talk to. She wasn't angry at her fro not coming to the wedding for she knew it wasn't her fault but she had been supportive and had grown to become her friend.

 _"Are you awake?"-Cals_

As she laid her head back down closing her eyes she soon heard it chime back for she knew Mariana was a night owl staying up on her laptop most nights writing code or some song.

 _"Hey yeah. I thought you hated me?"-Mari :(_

 _"No I understand. It's not your fault. Do you think I could come over?"_

 _"Sure. What's wrong. Everything ok?"_

 _"No. I just need to get out of here. Don't want to get you in trouble though._

 _"It's fine. My grandparents sleep hard. You want my address? I can sneak you in."_

 _"Please."_

 _"Sure. 897 South Bend. Its close to Anchor Beach. Text me when you get here."_

 _"I will thanks."_

 _"Be careful."_

 _"K."_

With that Callie quietly got up from her bed and looking through her phone turned off the tracking device. She knew once her grandmother's found out she was gone they would instantly call well...she wasn't sure what to call Stef anymore as she sucked up her pain and shook those thoughts out of her head. Loading her backpack with a change of clothes she knew this wasn't the best plan but she couldn't stay here tonight or maybe ever as she now looked to the picture on her nightstand of her and Stef. Sitting back down on her bed with the picture in her hand tears began to roll down her eyes as she thought of the last half year. In her mind it would never occur to her that she would lie for Stef had been honest with her from day one. From the moment she had bumped into her outside that school, from the moment she bumped into her again in the hall, from the time she wrapped her arms around her at the fair that day and shared her ice cream. From the moment she ran over and got her when Justina had almost killed her, from the moment she would not leave her side at the hospital and had not left her side since that day. There were countless times, there were countless moments as the young girl traced the blondes face with her finger as her nose ran. Kissing the picture no matter how conflicted she was she placed it back on the nightstand. Grabbing her bag she climbed out the window for she knew she could use the guard rails to climb down. Something she had taken note of the first night here just in case she ever needed to get away. As she climbed down she quickly made her way to Mariana's not looking back for a minute.

* * *

 ***So Callie knows but is very confused. Thoughts on what happens next?**


	71. She Knows

As the two women laid naked together for the first time as a married couple Lena had her arms wrapped around Stef spooning her from behind. She was more happy then ever as she kissed her naked back and shoulder soon snuggling her face into the blonde's neck. Now resting her head on her hand she could only admire her and gently stroke her arm with her fingers lightly taking in her wife. There was no one she wold rather be with, there was no other person in this world she would have married or would want to spend the rest of her life with. She knew fully the honeymoon would be over once they got back but no matter what she would support her, love her and be strong for her no matter what. In her eyes Stef had pushed whatever horrible feelings she was dealing with to the side last night and had made love to her for hours. Letting out a smile the slim woman kissed her wife's naked shoulder deciding to let her sleep some more for she knew she needed it as she got up herself deciding to order room service.

Closing the door behind her and wrapping herself in one of the hotel robes she picked up the menu thinking of what to surprise her wife with as she was soon startled out of her thinking by Stef's phone which she instantly picked up seeing it was Sharon.

"Hi Sharon." she said happily.

"Lena is Stef with you?"

"She's still sleeping what's wrong?" she asked hearing the panic in the red heads voice.

"Callie is gone."

"What? What do you mean she's gone what..." she said now standing up.

"Lena she knows. Mike showed up last night drunk out his mind. We sent Callie to her room before he could say anything but we think she heard him."

"Oh my god. Oh my god." she said putting her hand to her head as the panic and anxiety began to fill her body. Now pacing back and forth across the room she could only shake her head as tears began to fall from her eyes as she was more angry then ever with Mike.

"We think she snuck out of her bedroom window honey. When we went to bed she was in her room both your mother and I checked on her. But when we finished breakfast things morning and went into wake her up she was gone. Its looks like she took her backpack too."

"Oh Callie." she sighed.

"Oh Callie what?" she soon turned her head seeing Stef walk into the room as she instantly knew the blonde knew something was wrong. Telling her would be another thing as she could feel the heavy burden in her chest.

* * *

"Maybe he was just drunk and was saying weird stuff Cal. I mean how could they be your parents that doesn't even make sense. Weren't you like born in Michigan and stuff?" Mariana said as the two sat on her bed talking as quiet as possible.

"I don't know. I was told I was but I don't even know anymore. Just seems like my whole life has been one big lie. I don't even know who I am." she said now getting up and looking out the window feeling more overwhelmed then ever.

"Well, did your mom have a baby with Mike?"

"Yeah. They were married for a long she said she lost the baby when she was 18."

"Ok so the ages don't even match up. Like if she had you at 18 that wouldn't make sense. Wouldn't she be like 30 or something? Not saying she's old but isn't she like 40?"

"Yeah. But what if Mike had me with another woman or something?" she said turning around thinking of any possible scenario.

"I don't think so Cals honest I just think he was loaded and didn't know what he was saying. It's probably nothing."

"Well, what if it's not nothing? My birth certificate was already screwed up. All this time I though I was 15 and I'm really 13." she said shaking her head and taking a seat back on the bed.

"Oh my gosh. Really?"

"Yeah."

"Blame social services. They mess that stuff up all the time trust me. I found out I have a brother only like a year ago."

"Really?"

"Yeah a twin. I mean who doesn't tell a kid there a twin. It's just messed up."

"I'm sorry Mariana."

"It's ok. But look maybe you should talk to your mom and Lena instead of going around and guessing. I'm sure they would talk to you and let you know what's going on."

"I can't. What if Stef is my mom? Why wouldn't she tell me if she was. And maybe Lena knows. Maybe everyone knows and I'm the only idiot. I just don't want to see them."

"Well, maybe we can dig and find out something ourselves."

"How I wouldn't even know where to start Mariana."

"We start with what we know." she said grabbing her laptop and opening a browser.

"I don't know much. I don't even know the names of the people who raised me."

"That's ok. What do you know about your mom?"

"You mean Stef." she said correcting her sadly.

"Yeah."

"I don't know. Besides being a cop and being born in San Diego. I mean I guess it depends on what you need to know. I just know random stuff."

"Ok did she ever live anywhere else?"

"Um yeah Sacramento. Her and Mike for like I think 20 years."

"Ok." she said googling the blondes name as the teen watched.

"You spelled it wrong. It's Stefanie." she corrected as the teen retyped it noticing an article come up about a shooting with a teen.

"Wow."

"She told me about that. She got shot by him."

Mariana nodded as Callie now noticed her going into a site they had no business in.

"What are you doing?"

"Hacking into the hosptial records. If she had a baby in Sacramento it would show up."

"How in the heck can you even get into that? And how do you know what hosptial?"

"Don't worry I have my ways. It's not that hard. If she worked for Sacramento Police Department she most likely lived close to the main hospital I'm guessing."

"This is so illegal."

"Not if you don't get caught. Don't worry I have all kinds of protection installed." she said now gaining access to the records.

"Ok here we go. Stefanie Foster admitted 6/18/2003. Admitted for pain, hemorrhaging." she said as Callie leaned in closer staring at the records.

"How do we know it's even her?"

"Well is her middle name Marie?

"Yes."

"Was she born on April 14, 1974?"

"Yes."

"Then it should be her." she scrolled down even more as her eyebrows soon furrowed and Callie could no longer look at the screen for she was too nervous. "Ok are you sure she was 18 when she lost her baby?"

"Yes that's what she told me."

"Um." the Latin girl said swallowing hard.

"What? What is it?"

"Well, it says she was released two later and had surgery preformed. She was 5 months pregnant."

"What? Are you sure?" she asked now looking to the screen herself.

"Yeah that's what it says. Maybe she had two miscarriages Cal. Even so it doesn't look like she's your mom. According to this the baby died. Gosh that's so sad. You get to 5 months and loose your baby. That's just so mean to do to someone."

After reading what Mariana had said she just didn't know what to think now as she let out a sigh feeling more confused then she originally was.

"Maybe it was too difficult for her to tell you that."

"Yeah I get that but I still don't understand."

"I think there just might be things you don't know Cal. And maybe Mike was just well confused."

"No he was acting weird to me at the wedding."

"Then talk to him. Or I can keep digging to see if I come up with anything else."

"No. I don't even care anymore. I just don't." she said now feeling tears fall from her eyes as the young Latin girl could feel her heart breaking. Leaning in now she hugged her friend feeling her pain more then anything.


	72. Searching

"What?! Mom what do you mean she's gone?!" the blonde yelled as she grabbed the phone from Lena's hand.

"Baby Mike...

"Mike what? What about him?" she yelled as the slim woman stood closer to her seeing how angry and upset she was.

"Mike showed up drunk last night. Saying all kinds of things and we think Callie heard him."

"Oh my god. Oh my god. I'm going to kill him." Putting her hand to her head Lena gently stroked her back. "We are coming back now."

"Baby we will find her." Sharon said as the blonde gave the phone back to Lena charging into the bedroom and throwing her clothes on and packing the bags.

Lena equally worried hung up the phone throwing her clothes on just as fast as she looked through the blondes phone seeing if Callie turned off the tracking device.

"She turned off her phone."

"Of course she did. She's not an idiot Lena. She doesn't want us to know where she is. All I know is is that I'm going to kill Mike!"

"Look babe I'm sorry we went away. I'm sorry..

"Yeah well what is sorry going to do. I knew I should not have left." she said throwing the rest of the clothes in the bag.

"So this my fault? Mike showing up drunk spilling his guts is my fault?"

"No I'm just saying if we were there that would not have happened! If we had not done this honeymoon."

"That's such an asshole thing to say Stef! I care just as much about Callie and you think I don't feel bad."

"I never said you didn't feel bad Lena. It was just bad timing, ok?"

"What like us getting married. Is that bad timing too? And me wanting to have a baby is that bad timing as well?" she said her face growing red and visibly upset as the blonde let out a sigh.

"No who said that. I asked you to marry me because I love you Lena. I want a baby with you and..

"Why because you felt bad?"

"What? What in the hell is that suppose to mean. Are you implying I married you out of pity? Or that I want a baby with you out of pity as well. Who is being the asshole now?"

"You are Stef. You! Lets just go!" Lena said grabbing her bag and walking out the room more upset then anything leaving Stef to deal with more feelings then she wanted.

* * *

"Stef you think I would want this to happen that...

"Well, you showed up drunk! You showed up drunk and she heard you. My baby heard you Mike. Our daughter! She heard you because you can't deal with this in productive way!" the blonde yelled as she stood less then two inches away from Mike in his apartment.

"You think I don't feel bad about that Stef! Come on you think I don't feel bad she took off. You think I don't feel bad I showed up like that and.."

"If you feel so god damm bad then you get your shit together and act like the father she deserves! You get your ass to AA too because I swear to god you keep this shit up you won't see her!" with that she stormed out the apartment as Lena quickly followed. They had not spoken since leaving the hotel room as the blonde started the car up continuing to search high and low for her daughter.

"We need a plan Stef. I mean are we just going to drive around in circles and.."

"What?" the blonde snapped back looking to her.

"Are we just going to drive around like this in circles. We've been out here for hours and I think we need to make a plan and decide..

"Decide what Lena? What is there to decide and what is there to plan? There is no map that says Callie is here. None! Unless you know of one that I don't know about this is the plan Lena. We drive around we look! This is all I got."

"Why do I even talk. Why, because when I do all you do is bite my head off."

"Because you're not helping!"

"How am I not helping? How Stef? I offered to drive around myself and look while you look as well. I called every friend I can think of that Callie has, I'm trying to be there for you when all you're doing is yelling at me! And making me feel like it's my fault because we went on a honeymoon! What do you want from me Stef? What is it? I'm upset too and I have feelings too just in case you care!" she said her eyes filling with tears as the blonde let out a sigh now pulling off to the side of the road. She knew her anger and fear had gotten the best of her and she knew she had said things that she did not mean or should have. Lena was the one person she had given her heart too and she at times was the person that got the most of her anger at certain times. It was unfair she knew and it was something she would try to work on especially now that they were married.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." she said softly as she placed her hand on the slim woman's thigh as she could clearly see and hear that Lena was crying as she refused to look at the blonde.

"Lena my love. Please look at me. Please baby." she begged. "I'm sorry. I am. I didn't mean to do this to you. I didn't mean to snap at you and make you feel like this is your fault. It's not. None of it love. I married you because I love you baby, and the honeymoon it was wrong of me to say what I did. I wanted to give you that and I wanted to make love to you because you deserve it. You deserved it honey and I would do anything for you. I'm sorry I acted like an ass and I'm sorry I hurt you. I know you love Callie and I know your trying to help. You do help more then anything. Please forgive me Mrs. Adams Foster." the blonde said swallowing hard as her voice soon began to crack tears falling down her face as well as Lena soon turned her head to look into her wife's eyes. A small smile soon graced her face as she slid her hand into the blondes holding it tight.

"You're forgiven honey. I know it's alot."

"Yes but it's no excuse for how I spoke to you baby. You're my life and we are team. I should not have hurt you love."

"Forgiven Mrs. Adams Foster." Lena said now wiping the blondes tears.

"I'm just scared to death. She's out there thinking god knows what and is god knows where."

"You know this is not you're fault?"

"How can it not be. If I had not gone to the hospital that night my baby would not have had the shitty life she didn't not deserve." she said as tears continued to roll down her face.

"No baby. If there weren't people in the world like Justina who take advantage of people then things like this wouldn't happen. But this, this is not your fault and you can't continue to blame yourself or you wont be able to be the mother that Callie deserves and has grown to love. I think its astonishing she ended up finding you or you ended up finding her after all this time. What are the odds Stef if you think about it."

"Ha I have no idea. Slim to none."

"Listen since she is your daughter I have no doubt she is not ok. Meaning the girl knows how to take care of herself if needed. She's just like you honey. And that is the reason she has survived all this time. That was no accident." she reassured as Stef let out a small smile.

"Yeah. Just where in the hell is she?"

"I don't know but we keep looking until we find her."

"And if she doesn't want to be found?"

"We won't think that way honey. We won't. We know she's confused and hurt and she's going to want answer just like her mama would." she said said smiling as Stef turned to her hoping what she said was true. That Callie would want answers regardless of how she was feeling and she was hoping when they did find her that she would give them the chance to explain things.

"It will be ok baby. We will find our daughter. We will." The slim woman said as she leaned into the blonde hugging her tightly. However they were interrupted for a few moments later Stef soon heard her phone go off. Pulling away she quickly grabbed it not recognizing the number.

"Stef Foster." she said swallowing hard.

"Um Mrs. Foster this is Mariana."

"Mariana. Yes, love hi. Is everything ok? Have you heard from Callie love?" the blonde asked as Lena looked to her knowing she had called the girl but Mariana said she had not seen Callie.

"Um she doesn't know I'm calling you but Callie is here. I'm sorry I lied to Vice Principal Adams before." the girl said sounding more remorseful then anything.

Letting out a sigh the blonde could now catch her breath knowing her daughter was ok but was fully aware the issues they would need to deal with.

* * *

 **How do you think Callie is going to react when she finds out Mariana called Stef and Lena? Do you think Callie will be angry with Stef and verbally show it?**


	73. You're My Parents?

"Are you hungry? I can sneak you a sandwich or something?"Mariana said sitting on the bed as Callie continued to stare at the ceiling as it now approached 6pm.

"Nah I'm ok. Listen I know I can't stay here forever. I'll think of a place to go. I don't want to get you in trouble."

"Well it's ok. You can stay as long as you need." she said moving closer to her.

"Mariana you can't hide me in your room forever. Sooner or later your grandparents are going to come in here and gets suspicious."

"No they won't. I mean besides where would you go?"

"I don't know. Somewhere. It's better then living with liars." the teen said rolling her eyes.

"Callie maybe they don't know anything. I just think you should here your mom out. You just love her so much."

"Her name is Stef and I don't want to talk to her. Ok?"

"Ok what about Lena?"

"I don't want to talk to her either. Whatever my mama..Stef knows Lena does too. Just forget it ok? Please."

"Ok but you can honestly stay here until we find something for you.I hate to think of you out on the street. I care about you and your like my best friend Callie."

"Thanks Mariana. You're my best friend too." she said smiling.

"Look I'll grab you a sandwich. I told my grandparents I was in here studying for math finals. Just hide in the closest till I get back."

"Ok. Thanks."

Getting up from the bed and closing the door behind her she quickly went into the bathroom looking at the missed call log. Lena had called her early in the morning and she felt terrible for lying to her. But she knew she couldn't let Callie leave or risk going on the street for in her eyes there was so much more to the story that the girl didn't know. She also knew very well how much the two women loved her. Hitting the redial number she waited anxiously for someone to pick up as they did on the second ring.

"Stef Foster." she heard the cop say but never having met her before the young teen swallowed hard feeling nervous.

"Mrs. Foster this is Mariana."

"Mariana. Yes, love hi. Is everything ok? Have you heard from Callie love?" the young girl could hear the panic in her voice and was fearful she would be angry once she told her the truth.

"Um she doesn't know I'm calling you but Callie is here. I'm sorry I lied to Vice Principal Adams before."

Hearing the blonde cop sigh on the other end she swallowed hard once again.

"That's ok my love. I'm just grateful you called and that she is ok. Listen is there anyway you can get her to stay until I get there?"

"Yeah. I just made her a sandwich but she's planning on leaving. She doesn't want to go home with you."

"Yeah. I was afraid of that. Can you give me your address honey?"

"Yeah it's 897 South Bend."

"Thank you love. Thank you so much for calling. Please just keep her there. We should be there shortly."

"Sure. Mrs. Foster please don't be angry with her. She's just really upset and confused."

"We aren't honey. We aren't. Thanks again sweetheart."

"You're welcome."

With that the young Latin girl hung up the phone feeling bad for what she had done. But she just couldn't let Callie end up on the streets.

Quickly grabbing the sandwich and making quick conversation with her grandparents she went back into the room purposely not locking the door and letting Callie know it was her coming into the room.

"You must be starving." she said as the girl sat on the bed inhaling the food along with the glass of soda.

"I guess."

"So you want to watch something? I have tons of movies on my laptop."

"Sure. But I think I should go in the morning."

"Why?"

"Well I can't go to Anchor Beach obviously. And I can't hang in your room all day when your at school."

"I can play sick."

Callie could only let out a laugh at how far this girl was willing to go.

"Ok and how long is that going to work." she laughed.

"Hey you have no idea how convincing I can be." she said now hearing the doorbell.

"Want me to hide?"

"Um sure." she said nervously knowing who it was but before she could get up her grandparents opened the door and the two heard voices. Voice's Callie was very familiar with as she now stood up looking out the window seeing her mothers car.

"You called her?"

"Um no. No.."

"Liar! How could you do that to me?!"

"Callie look I..." the girl began as Callie grabbed her bag opening the window hoping to get out before her mother and Lena came in.

"Save it! I told you I didn't want to see them." she said trying to climb out.

"Callie wait don't. Don't go!" the young girl said trying to grab the girls arm as Mariana's unlocked door opened Stef and Lena and Mariana's grandparents standing there. Seeing what her daughter was trying to do Stef quickly rushed over as Callie tried to faster then anything to get out the window. But she wasn't fast enough as Stef grabbed her from behind holding her hard.

"No you don't. No you don't babygirl."

"Get off me you liar! Get the hell off me!"

"You're not going to run Callie. You aren't!"

"Why! What do you care! You lied to me! You all lied to me!"

"No baby we didn't we didn't lie to you!" she said as Lena walked over seeing Stef struggle with the girl as she remained behind her putting the girl in a hold but seeing how she was trying to break free so badly.

"Callie let us talk to you." the slim woman said.

"No! I don't want to hear anything from you. Just get the hell off of me! I hate you Stef. I hate you so much!"

"Callie you can hate me. But you're going to listen to us baby. You're going to listen to what we have to tell you. It's not what you think ok? It's not honey."

"How can it not be! Why didn't you tell me about that baby you lost? How is Mike my father?! You lied to me." she yelled tears streaming down her face.

"Callie your mother didn't lie to you. But you have to calm down. You have too sweetheart." Lena said standing in front of her. "Please just let us talk to you. Please let us bug." Begging Callie's face remained angry however she stopped struggling as her eyes looked into Lena's. Someone that had always been able to calm her bad temper down even now as she was furious with her as well.

"Mariana come honey lets give them privacy." Her grandmother said as tears were rolling down her young face and Callie was more angry then ever at her as the three closed the door leaving the family alone.

"Callie If I let you go you can't run. You here me honey." Stef said calmly as she could still feel the girl struggling a tiny bit.

"Fine."

Loosening her grip Lena soon grabbed the girls hand even if she did not squeeze it back as she sat her on the bed. Stef sitting on the opposite side of her daughter swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked to her wife then to her daughter.

"Babygirl, we are sorry what you heard. We know you're confused." the blonde soothed almost sliding her hand into Callie's but the girl moved it instantly not wanting to be touched by her.

"The truth is honey is that yes Mike is your father. And yes and I am um..

With this the young girl looked to Stef. Her eyes so full of hurt and pain.

"I'm your mother Callie."

The girls heart was so broken as she almost stood up but Stef grabbed her arm.

"No, no. Let me finish. Please baby let me finish."

"You're my mother? You! You let me go through all that and..

"No, no! Callie please baby let me finish please. Please my girl."

"What could have you have to say! What! You left me! You left me to rot in those foster homes! You and Mike and...

"No. Callie she didn't She didn't honey. Let your mother finish bug. Please." Lena pleaded.

"Callie please. Please look at me. Grabbing her hands as the girl stood between her legs filled with more anger then she could ever imagine.

"Listen honey I would never in my life lie to you. Ever baby. But more then anything I need you to listen to me. Please. I know your angry at me, I know you hate me but please just listen." Letting out a sigh the young girls eyes were filled with tears for she didn't know what to feel anymore as tears ran down both Stef and Lena's faces.

"Callie, I was pregnant twice in my life. Once when I was 18 and 14 years ago." she began as they soon heard the door open and Mike Foster walked in calmly as Callie 's eyes followed him as he took a seat next to his ex wife.

"Honey, 14 years ago I walked into a hospital bleeding. I was in the worst pain of my life and I was pregnant with you. Your father took me to the hospital and, and they put me to sleep which I didn't know. But when I woke up they told me that my baby had died. They told me you died. I didn't know that they well they stole you from me and sold you."

"What? How..." Callie asked confused as she looked to Mike.

"Callie the doctor who treated your mother was involved with Justina. Justina, she was unfortunately involved in stealing and selling babies to couples who wanted children." Mike said as she rested his hand on Stef's arm feeling horrible for what he had done and for the situation. Lena herself began to rub her wife's back as the entire thing was more heartbreaking then anyone could bear.

"I don't understand. How could they steal me if...

"They stole you out of my stomach babygirl. You were probably very sick the first few months of your life because your so premature. Not many would make it love."

"So you didn't know I was alive?"

"No baby we didn't. Your father and I had no idea. If I had, god, I would have looked for you ever single day of my life. Every single day my girl." Tears continued to stream down Callie's face as well as the blonde's and Mikes.

"But, how did I end up in Michigan?"

"The couple you were sold to moved you there Cal. You got bounced around after that." Mike chimed in as the young girl looked to him.

"Sweets when you came to live with me I didn't know any of this. None. Thing is I hired a private investigator to find out a little more information about Justina and you. But he found much more then I anyone could imagine. We wanted to talk to you love we were planing baby but we didn't want to say anything until we knew for sure." the blonde said letting out a soft smile as Callie could only stare at her unsure of how to feel.

"Callie I'm sorry about last night. That was wrong of me to show up drunk. I had no business drinking or doing that. I apologize."

Callie nodded accepting his apology as she looked between the three of them now staring at Lena who smiled warmly at her. Her eyes soon feel onto Stef's once again as the blonde swallowed hard.

"So, you're are my birth mother?"

"Yes baby. I am." the blondes voice cracked as Callie now looked to Mike.

"And you're my father?"

"Yeah honey I am."

"100 percent positive?"

"Yes the blood tests we took confirmed it love."

The young teen could on nod as tears continued to fall down her face.

"Did, did I have a name?" she asked her hands remaining inside Stef's.

"You did baby. We named you Mikelya."

"Like a female version of Mike?"

"Yeah that was the idea." Mike said smiling at his daughter who let a small smile form on her face.

"Callie, we, well there are no words to say how sorry we are for what happened to you. Believe me I would give my life for none of that to have ever happened to you. No father wants that for there little girl. And I know it's strange and just hard to take in but I do want a relationship with you. I mean I have no idea how in the hell to be father but I can try."

"You weren't that bad that day you took me to get ice cream and when you taught me how to bowl." she admitted as tears began to roll down his face.

"Good to know." He admitted as he tried to fight back more tears that were falling from his eyes as the young girl looked to her mother once again.

"I guess this is why I'm so much like you?"

"Yes. Seems that way." Stef laughed as Lena wiped the tears from her face as silence fell across the room only sniffing could be heard. But a few moments later Callie was the first to speak the word that made the blondes heart warm since the first time she had said it.

"Mama?"

"Yes honey? she said looking to the young girls sweet face her voice cracking once again.

"Does this mean you don't need to adopt me?"

"Yes baby it means I don't need to adopt you. You are already mine." Gently she stroked the young girls face.

"Does this mean no one can ever take me away from you?"

"It means no one can ever, ever ever take you away from me. Ever again baby."

With that the young girl wrapped her arms around Stef crying into her. It was the hardest she had ever cried in her life as Stef broke down herself tears uncontrollably streaming down her face. As she soon felt Lena hug the both of them crying just as hard.

"You are ours baby. No one will ever take you again. Ever. You are Callie Adams Foster my babygirl. You are and always have been." she said now pulling away as she planted a million kisses on the young girls face wiping her tears."And I love you. I love you so much baby."

"I love you too mama. I love you so much." she said hugging her once again as she soon pulled away hugging Lena tight as the slim woman hugged her back just as hard.

"I love you mom."

"I Love you too bug. I Love you so much." she said kissing the young again once again Callie looked to Mike as she let out a soft smile as he did in return.

"Can we go for ice cream again?" she asked shyly wiping her tears.

"Anything you want Callie. Anything." he said as she continued to stare at him then suddenly wrapping her arms him as well and all he could do was hold her tight now fully crying himself for he felt terrible for what she had to go through. So much that he would do anything to track down Justina. But he couldn't focus on that right now. He had to get to know his daughter and that was the main thing that would keep him away from drinking ever again.

As Callie pulled away she could only hug her moms again. Yes she was still scared, yes she was still so confused but she loved them. She loved them more then life itself.

* * *

 **We know Callie will have some issues. We know Stef will deal with alot of guilt we know Mike(he won't be a main character) will deal with a lot of guilt.**

 **One thing is for sure is that Callie will want to be an Adams Foster. However with Mike as her father Lena won't be able to adopt her and Callie won't understand why. That will cause some issues for sure for she is very close to Lena.**


	74. The Beginning

**Hi all! Just a heads up this chapter only deals with Cal/Mike. Like I said he won't be a main character but will show up once in awhile. Thanks!-Stef1981**

So where you guys headed? Stef asked smiling as Mike walked into the apartment that was loaded with boxes of Lena's things being moved in.

"Taking her for lunch and movie."

"Sounds fun. She loves to eat." Stef chucked as she could only smile. It had been a few days since the two admitted to Callie they were her birth parents and since then Mike had fully stepped into his role as trying to be her father checking in on the girl daily and taking her out as much as she could.

"Hey Mike." Lena said walking in from the bedroom carrying out a box as he ran over to help her. "Thanks."

"Not a problem. You guys settling in." He asked looking around.

"Trying. I never realized how much stuff I have." Lena admitted looking around at all the boxes she still had to unpack.

"You? Come on love. Who didn't know that."

"Well it didn't seem like much in my apartment. And I gave a lot of things away. We might need another dresser Stef."

"Really?" The blonde asked taking a seat on the couch as she began unpacking another box.

"Yes honey. I still have another box of clothes."

"Goodness. We might need an extra room just for your things. Took me all but 5 minutes to make room for you in the closet." the cop joked now getting up and placing a kiss on her wife's cheek. "But I still love you."

Lena let out a smile looking now looking to Mike.

"So where you two headed?"

"Lunch and movie."

"Callie's two favorite things. Just no junk food I hope?"

"Who doesn't love junk food once in awhile Lena. Won't do her any harm." Mike said feeling slightly annoyed but laughing it off.

"Well, we just don't want her eating a lot of it and she already had a good amount this week."

"I'm sure one more day of eating it won't kill her. Lighten up." He chuckled as Stef now looked between the two she noticed something she had not before. They were definitely in someway fighting over Callie and she could clearly see this could get challenging. It was evident Lena was annoyed and it was more then just about junk food. Her and Lena had been Callie's parents for the past six months and now the circumstances had change. How in the hell could she forget this. Walking next to her wife she jumped in to defend her point.

"Mike, Lena and I just..." she began when Callie soon emerged from the room.

"Hi." the teen said happily.

"Hey Cal. You ready?" Mike said soon brushing Lena off.

"Yup." she said walking over to Stef and wrapping her arms around her.

"I love you mama."

"I love you too baby. Be good yes?" She placed a kiss on the girls forehead.

"Always mama."

"I love you mom." Now hugging the curly haired woman she hugged her equally as tight as she had her mother as Lena kissed her forehead.

"I love you too bug. Have a good time."

"I will mom."

As the two walked out and Stef closed the door behind them she turned around to see Lena's face almost saddened and she knew they needed to talk.

"Love, how about we go get some lunch ourselves and talk." Gently Stef stroked her cheek.

"Sure."

* * *

"Hope you like burgers Cal." Mike said happily handing the girl the menu.

"Only when they are loaded with cheese, bacon and onions. No..

"Tomatoes." the dark haired man guessed.

"Yup. Makes the bun soggy." She laughed as did Mike smiling at his daughter. It was still so strange for him to say it and even stranger to believe it for it was still something he was very much trying to process. The cop couldn't help but continued to stare and try to see who the girl resembled more. Him or Stef. Physically she definitely took on most of his traits with her dark eyes and hair but she definitely had her mothers personality. Every last bit of it. Callie was a straight shooter, extremely stubborn and persistent. All things he use to admire about his ex now seeing them in full force with his daughter. One thing he had to keep in check was his guilt. The guilt he was feeling was so intense at times that therapy was one of many options he would need to deal with it in order to not fall back into drinking. Being a father to this young was his sole focus for the teen needed support as much as she could get for this was no easy pill to swallow.

"Order what you like. Do you want something to drink?"

"MM root beer for sure."

"Root beer sounds good." Putting the menu down as they both decided on what they wanted the young girl took a sip of her drink as she too had a thousand questions in her mind. It had only been less then a week since learning both Stef and Mike were her birth parents and none of it had really sunk in at all. She wasn't really sure how she was feeling. Whether she was angry that she got robbed of a life with them by Justina for she did wonder how she would have turned out if they raised her. She also wondered if she was grateful she found her way back to them even if the odds of that were so slim to none. But the young girl was not sure however the fear of being taken away had surely disappeared a bit but not fully. The fear of abandonment would always be present as she tried to understand what it would feel liek to have a father. That she had no idea.

"So tell me something how is school Cals? Do you like being called Callie or Cals?"

"Either is fine. Mama calls me Cals. But school isn't to bad I guess. Hard though. Math kills me."

"Math? Yeah it can be tricky but there is always a solution. Sometimes more then one."

"Are you good at?" she asked taking another sip of her drink.

"Ahh I struggled in math. I tired as a student but could never get A's. It was a struggle to say the least."

"Yeah same. Mom helps me a lot though. She's really good."

"Does she? Wow from what I remember Stef had a hard time in Math. Just as bad as me." He chuckled.

"No I don't mean mama. I mean Lena, mom."

"Right. Sorry." he said taking another sip of his drink for he couldn't understand why Lena all of sudden was getting on his nerves. "You know I can try to help you if you want to come over sometimes after school. Or I can come over after work and help you with homework."

"Mom usually helps me because she takes me home after school."

"Yeah I just mean you know if she's busy or something."

"Ok." The girl said shrugging her shoulders as the burgers were soon brought to their table and Callie could only let out a wide smile.

"Looks good right?" the cop said smiling himself.

"Yup!"

"So besides movies and stuff what else do you like to do for fun? I know your mother mentioned you like photography and the guitar."

"Yeah I'm writing some music now and I won a couple of competitions for the photos. Sort of on a whim."

"That's really amazing Callie. You know my dad was a musician."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He wrote all kinds of things. I have some of his music if you want to listen to it or try to play it."

"Definitely. Is he...

"Nah he passed awhile ago. You would have liked him." he said smiling as the young girl did herself.

"But is that what your looking to do in college maybe? Music, photography?"

"MM not sure. I kinda thought about being a cop."

"Really?" he said smiling and shaking his head.

"Yeah. I was going to ask mama if she would take me to the shooting range. She goes all the time."

"Yeah she does. She practiced a lot when we lived in Sacramento. She's a good shot. Better then me." he chuckled.

"She told me she got shot."

"Yeah. She did."

"Where you scared when she did?" Callie asked innocently.

"Yeah I was. Very. I knew she was strong though and could come out of it but I was still worried. She drove me nuts after that god she was bossy as hell."

Callie couldn't help but bust out laughing as did Mike.

"She always is."

"Oh yeah I know." Mike could only roll his eyes and let out another laugh as Callie's brain was filled with question after question.

"Is it fun being partners?"

"Yeah it has its advantages for sure. You know each other's behavior on the job so it makes the job easier for sure. You know how reliable the person is there strengths there weaknesses. Those kinds of things."

"Yeah that makes sense. I guess it's like my lab partner. She's lazy so I know I have to do most of the work."

"Ha. Yeah something to that effect."

"But how come you guys moved there? To Sacramento?"

"MM change of scenery I guess." he said taking another bite of his burger as the girl could clearly see he was lying.

"Mike I'm not dumb. Grandma told me you guys got married really young."

"Good ol' Sharon." he laughed looking into this daughters eyes not wanting to bring up the real reason for the reason they moved. He really wasn't sure how much Stef had told her about her father and didn't want to confuse her or tell her anything she wasn't ready to here.

"Did it have to do with mama's father? I know he use to hit her and Grandma." she took a bit of her burger looking her father right in his eyes as his grew sad.

"Cals he wasn't a nice man. Not at all."

"I know."

"I took her to Sacramento to get away from him. We got married and started our life together and we didn't regret it. I loved her and couldn't risk her getting hurt anymore."

"I figured. Then you guys became cops? Where did you live?"

"Goodness you are just like your mother." Mike joked as he couldn't help but notice the mild interrogation he was getting. But he understood it and answered her questions happily. Her curiosity was only normal especially in this situation were they were trying to get to know each other more and more each day.

"So I'm told." Callie joked shoving a fry in her mouth.

"Well we lived with my aunt and we actually became cops by accident. They had a booth set up at the mall when we were looking for mall jobs." He laughed.

"Really?" Callie's eyes bugged out as she was amused by it.

"Yup, but hey who knows. Maybe we would have done it anyway. Stef's father was a cop and my great-grandfather was and his brother. Things have a funny way of working out kid. So it's not surprising to hear you say you want to be one. But I'll tell ya it's not an easy job and it really has it days that are difficult."

"I know mama looks really tired somedays." Callie admitted sipping on her root beer.

" I'm sure. I mean I have no doubt you could do it but why not go to college first discover your options and you can always decide after that?"

"MM maybe. Can you take me to the shooting range though?"

"Sure why not. But let's finish this up we got a movie to catch." He said happily as the girl let out a wide smile biting into her burger.

* * *

 **I thought this chapter was needed right now but will pick up with Callie and her moms soon. Also do you think Lena will be happy about Mike taking her to the shooting range? She is still very much scared of Stefs job.**


	75. A Cop

LENA POV

"And then the show was so weird Moms. It was about this guy that turned into a lizard and ate people." Callie said as she smiled happily at both of us while we enjoyed breakfast at the diner. It had been a hell of a few days and it was nice to just enjoy each others company for the time being. With Callie now being fully aware both Stef and Mike were her biological parents, and with Stef and I now married it was a good amount of changes at once for all of us. We took it one day at time which was all anyone could do as I gently placed my hand on her Stef's thigh rubbing it as she placed her hand onto of mine.

"Well my love that officially sounds like something I could miss." Stef chimed in taking a sip of her coffee.

"It was awesome ma. Then he regurgitated people."

"Like I said I can miss that love." I could only smile as Stef shook her head.

"So moms Mike is going to take me to the shooting range."

"What?" I said with more sternness in my voice then I intended.

"Yeah I asked him when we went to eat the other day." With that my eyes bugged out at the word shooting. Why on earth would Callie want to go to a shooting range all of a sudden and more importantly why did Mike say it was ok which even asking us.

"Callie why would you want to do that?" I continued as my wife remained quiet.

"Well I've just been thinking about being a cop." A cop? Oh my lord. Looking to Stef she glanced to me as if she knew this information already but neglected to share it. By this time my stomach could only turn as I was hoping Callie was joking. I loved my wife I did and I was so proud of her but it was no secret that her profession scared the crap out of me. Last thing I wanted was for our daughter to be the same as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"What about photography honey? You really love it. I am sure you could make a living doing that." I soon suggested.

"Yeah I could do it on the side. It's not really helping people. I mean all this therapy and everything I've been through I just I want to help people. Like really help them."

"Well sweetheart like I told you before you still have alot of time to decide what you want to be. There is never a rush." Stef finally chimed in smiling softly.

"Yes you have tons of time Callie. I mean you could teach as well that's helping or become a social worker or doctor." With this I could feel Stef's eyes on me.

"Nahh I wouldn't want to be in a classroom all day. Plus I really want to get rid of all the bad people out there. Like Justina, and at least you know help get them off the streets."

This was terrifying. This was the most terrifying thing.

"Well I still think you should take your time to decided. You have a few years and tons of options honey. And I think you're too young right now to go to a shooting range."

"But I'm 13 mom. And it's not like I'm going out on the street with it."

"I was 12 when my dad took me." Stef admitted as I flashed her an angry glare. Did she just say that?

"Really?" Callie said as her eyes bugged out.

"Yup. I mean it was when he was in one of his better moods. But he took me. I use to go to work with him from time to time when I was little."

Now shaking my head I felt like a damm idiot.

"So can I go?" she asked again.

"Sweets me and mom will talk about it ok love?"

"What is there to talk about Stef?" I said turning to her as she glanced to me.

"Love we will talk about it later." She whispered to me as the waitress came over to poor more coffee in our cups.

"Mama do you think I would be good at it. Being a cop?" As this conversation continued I just wanted it to end more then anything.

"I mean Cals being a cop is not easy as you know. There's a lot of days that are exhausting and trying and sometimes you can't always make a difference. But it has it's rewarding days just not for everyone love. But yes I do think you would be good at it."

"Callie just don't put all your eggs in one basket. WE haven't even done career day at school yet and there are many opportunities out there. Tons that you can discover once you get to college." I could see Stef glaring at me once again from the corner of my eyes as I now looked to her and her facial expression looked irritated.

"I'm gonna use the bathroom." Our daughter soon said as she excused herself and I turned around to make sure she was out of view but before I could talk Stef charged in.

"What in the hell was that Lena?"

"What?"I asked

"You."

"What, that I don't want our daughter to be a cop. No I don't."

"Well, if it's one of her choices you won't support her?"

"No Stef I won't. I can barely sleep as it is with you being one and with her even thinking about being one is terrifying. I thought maybe you would want to steer her away from that as well. I mean do you not want to sleep?"

"So she can be a teacher like you and it's ok?"

"Oh Stef come on. You know what I'm saying and you know how dangerous your job is. You know it."

"Well Lena last time I checked there were more damm school shootings lately then anything. I've been a cop for over 20 years and Iv'e only fired my gun once. My father never shot his ever."

"Yea and you got shot once too! Every time I see you naked I see that thing. I see that damm scar and it scares the hell out of me. Last thing I want is for our only daughter to, well for that to happen to her as well."

"That could happen even if she isn't one Lena."

"What do I know huh? Since I'm not her parent and Mike can make decisions without even consulting you or I and you're fine with it."

"What? Lena I never said that. And believe me I wish he had asked me before he promised her. And what are you talking about. You are Callie's mother baby."

"No. No Stef. I can't sit here and tell her she can't go because I'll look like the evil step mother. Ok. Instead you sit here and tell her how old you were when your father took you and it makes me look stupid."

"I wasn't trying to make you look stupid Lena. I just don't think she's too young. I'm not saying she should go all the time but once it's not a bad thing."

"According to you. But you never asked me how I felt about it."

"When could I ask you with Callie sitting here. I mean you didn't have a problem making my professional look horrible. How do you think that made me feel?"

"I wasn't trying to do that. I was trying to get her to see her other options since she's so fixed on being a cop."

"Well both of her parents are and what's wrong if that's what she wants to be."

"Yeah and I'm not her parent."

"Lena that's not what I mean and you know it. We talked about this the other day." she said as I now got up grabbing my bag.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk."

"Baby don't go. Lena love.." she said getting up and pulling my arm and I ripped it out of hers walking out the diner.

* * *

 **Sorry its a little short loves. Need to start preparing for Xmas. Wanted to give you a chapter though. So thoughts is Lena overreacting?**


	76. Watch What You Say

STEF POV

As the three of us made it back to the apartment Lena had barely spoken two words to me. I knew she was upset and I knew I fucked up which was typical for me. Truth be told I never meant to make her feel like she wasn't Callie's parent ever and I realized what I said had come out wrong. Horribly wrong and I needed to talk to her and clear the air about it. After tucking Callie into bed I walked into our bedroom to find Lena reading one of her magazines. However, I knew she wasn't really reading as her body was propped up against a few pillows and her face remained annoyed. Feeling the tension which I could cut with a knife I started to change out of my uniform hanging my shirt up.

"It's suppose to be nice out tomorrow. Do you want to have a picnic love?" I asked now locking my gun up and throwing a tank top on.

"No. I have to stay late at school." She said as her tone was short and very cold never making eye contact with me.

"On a Friday love?"

"Yes. Why don't you take Callie maybe after you and Mike take her to the shooting range."

"Lena" I said letting out a sigh as I now sat next to her on the bed and she still refused to look at me.

"Baby, look I am sorry for what I said at the restaurant. It didn't come out right at all. I didn't mean for it sound like you aren't Callie's parent. Because you are baby. You're her mom and she knows that. I know that."Gently I grabbed her hand as I could see the tears fall down her face that she was trying to suck in. "Baby please look at me."

"Stef, you made me feel like just because she didn't come from me that ...

"No, no my love. I never meant for you to feel like that. I don't care that she didn't come from you. I know how you feel about her and I am sorry this happened. I am. I need to talk to Mike and I'm not defending him but I guess he got excited hearing that she wants to be a cop. But still it's a discussion the three of us need to have. Not just me and him baby. I'm sorry I made you feel bad. I am love. Sometimes I'm terrible at expressing myself and word things the wrong way. Please forgive me." I said my voice cracking for we had not even been married a week and we had gotten into more arguments then we would have liked as I gently wiped her tears. "Please baby."

As her soft eyes now looked into mine she sat up a little bit more as I felt her hand squeeze mine.

"I know it's been a whirlwind, and you have been the most supportive wife I could ever ask for. I haven't been very considerate about your feelings through all this and ask how you might feel about Callie being me and Mike's biological daughter. And the fact that she can't be Adams Foster and that you can't adopt her. I feel terrible about that. I do baby. I just I'm so confused about it all and..."

"Stef. Stef. It's ok my love. It's ok." She said wiping my tears as they continued to roll down my face. "Don't you ever apologize. You found your baby. A babygirl you didn't even know you had. That's amazing and remarkable. So please, don't feel guilty for that. That means no one can ever take her from you and she never has to worry again. None of us do. I know Callie's my little girl even if I can't adopt her and share a last name. I know that."

"I don't want it to change things love. I don't. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole damm thing."I said shaking my head and looking to the floor.

"I know you are baby. It's alot to take on and it's very emotional and intense. When you took her in we never expected this. I mean who would?"

"No one. No one at all. It's crazy."

"It is. But like I said it's amazing. It's also a miracle that she found you thirteen years later. I can't even imagine how you feel honey. I can't but I'm sure it's a mixture of everything for the both of you. "

"Lena, it is. It's a mixture of more then I could ever imagine. But I want you to know that you are not only my wife but the mother of our child, and soon to be child yes? I mean that is if you still want a baby with me? I know I have't been the greatest wife so far and..."

"Hey. Love. " She said lifting my chin up to look into her eyes as I felt guilty for how things were going. I wanted to give Lena the world and so far I had just given her a headache. "Stef you are an amazing wife. You are and I don't regret it baby. Just because we have gotten into a few spats that we have solved doesn't make you a bad wife. I couldn't ask for a better partner, a better friend I couldn't and I can't wait to have a baby with you. Listen, you are wonderful, devoted and amazing mother and I'm sorry the way I said things as well. I didn't mean to make your profession look so horrible.I admire what you do even if it does scare me."

"It's understandable, I know and yes if Callie became a cop I would be scared shit less for sure and nervous because I know what it entails. But I'd try to train her the best I could."

"I know you would."

"But I agree she should go to college first and then decide. We want the same thing for her baby. We do. We want her to succeed and follow her dreams no matter what they may be." I smiled softly. "Does this mean you forgive me?"

"Baby I forgave you along time ago. Water under the bridge."

Smiling at my beautiful curly haired wife I leaned in kissing her soft lips more gently then ever as I leaned her back making love to her for the next few hours.

* * *

STEF POV

"Why did we pick up this overtime shift?" Mike said as I sipped on what seemed like my fourth cup of coffee. For once the night was slow and we had been driving around for nearly three hours with not much going on. I didn't mind it for I was ready to nearly pass out from exhaustion myself and I knew I would grow even more tired once I started the conversation the two of us needed to have.

"Yeah I asked myself that same question." I joked.

"Well I'm just trying to earn a little more to help with Callie. I just want to make sure she has what she needs from me as well and that I can you know contribute."

"I understand and that's appreciated Mike."

"Well she is my daughter."

"Listen, um there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Yeah?"

"Look I'm sure you know Callie has expressed interest in wanting to be a cop."

"Oh yeah. She has. Told her I would take her to the range with me."

"Yeah I know. But that wasn't really your decision to make alone."

"What?"

"Mike, Callie has three parents and before you go off making decisions like that you need to talk to me and Lena. I think it's a decision we need to make together."

"Hold on. You mean to tell me deciding to take her to a shooting range is a major decision that me as her father can't make on my own. That I have to consult you on every little thing?"

"Really? You're going to make this difficult?"

" Stef I'm not making anything difficult. I have a right to make decisions like that regarding my daughter."

"No you mean our daughter. Lena is just as much as her parent as you and I are. She's been Callie's mother for almost a year before we found any of this out."

"Look I get it and Lena is nice and all ok. But I don't think I need to run to the both of you to be told what I can and can't do with our daughter."

"Mike it's out of respect ok. And we all have Callie's best interest in our minds. Lena and I aren't really 100 percent comfortable letting you take her to a shooting range ok?"

"Stef come on. You shot a gun at 12. You can't tell me you have an issue or do you just bend over and do whatever Lena tells you."

"Whoa. Excuse me?"

"Do you let her make every decision? That she knows so much better because she has her PHD in child psychology babble whatever. She was freaking out when I took Callie to get a hamburger because it had a little grease."

"Hey you watch it. You watch what the hell you say that's my wife you're taking about. And no she wasn't freaking out. Lena is very good with Callie and tries to get her to eat as well as possible. And just for the record our daughter was stick to her stomach that night."

"Yeah because she doesn't eat real food or things that aren't organic. God forbid. Look I'm trying to prepare our daughter for the real world not that hippy dippy life you're wife believes in."

"Ok you know what. It's obvious we can't talk civilly about this without you insulating my wife and Callie's mother. I am definitely not going to sit here and let you do that. No way!"

"Look I'm not trying to insult anyone Stef but I don't see why I need to come crawling to the both of you regarding where I take our daughter. She's Callie Foster last time I checked not Callie Adams Foster."

"Mike look I'm happy that Callie has you as a father. But don't you dare. Don't you date make this difficult for her or make this about you and trying to prove that you are a better parent then Lena. That little girl has been through hell some of which she still has not told me. And the last thing she needs is a father that is unwilling to comprise and unwilling to have her best interest at heart and unwilling to be respectful to one of the few people she opened herself up to in the beginning. When she would't speak to anyone, when she wouldn't look anyone in the face or the eyes because she was scared to death that we wold beat her or hit or throw her out. She has been through hell and back so before you go around insulting my wife and Callie's mother you need to realize how much she has done for our daughter and how much she continues to do.

With that he let out a sigh as we worked the rest of our shift in complete silence.

* * *

 **This is getting sticky and I don't really like how Mike was talking about Lena. Thoughts?**


	77. Adams Foster

STEF POV

"But that's not fair! How come I can't be Adams Foster?!" Callie yelled as Lena, Mike and I sat with her on the couch trying to explain how complicated things were becoming. I knew she was hurt, and I knew Lena was hurt but the truth was Mike was her legal father and any chances Lena had of adopting Callie went the window. In just a few short weeks everything had hit us all like a giant wave and the initial joy we felt was soon fading the more certain realities had set in especially for Callie. It was already affecting me and Lena's marriage from the moment of our honeymoon and was proving to be more and more of a challenge each day. This was not how I wanted to start our life. Never. But we would have to deal with it and move on the best we could no matter what.

"Honey, listen I want you to calm down ok? Yes?" I said holding onto her shaking hands as she stood between my legs more angry then ever. Letting out a sigh the anger was filling her body as I squeezed her hands even tighter. "Sweetheart it's not that simple love. Because Mike and I are your legal parents in order for you to be an Adams Foster, Lena would have to adopt you."

"But I thought you wanted to adopt me mom?"

"Oh, Callie I would love nothing more. But I can't honey. If I did your dad would have to give away his parental rights and that's not fair to him honey. But I can still be your mother. Always because nothing will ever change that honey. Nothing."

"Callie, she is right. Lena will always be your mother." Mike soon chimed in but I could see the anger increase on Callie's face as she gave Mike an icy cold glare.

"Mama, what does it mean terminate your rights?" she soon asked looking to me.

"Well, it would mean your dad would no longer legally be your father. Yes biologically he would be but no longer on paper love and he would have no rights in regards to you."

"But then mom could adopt me then?"

"Cals, I know it's not easy to understand. But I love you. As your father I love you very much and I know we don't really know each other that well but I care about you and I want us to have some type of relationship. I really do."

"I don't want to be Callie Foster. I want to be Callie Adams Foster. I get that you're my father I get it but Lena is my mother and I want to be apart of her too."

"Love.." I soon began however Mike had cut me off as I looked to Lena who looked just as concerned as me. We both knew this was not going well and we had expected it not to. Callie was very close to Lena and from the time we got married even before she wanted to have or last name. I knew this was a blow to her and I knew it was difficult for her to understand. Truth be told I was an adult and it was hard for me as well. Deep inside I would have loved for her to have our last name but I also was well aware of how unfair that was to Mike. He deserved to know his daughter and he didn't deserve to have his rights stripped away.

"Callie look I'm sorry. I know you don't understand but I'm not signing my rights away. I just can't do that."

As she continued to stare at him for what seemed like hours my hand remained inside of hers.

"Fine. You know I never asked for a father, I never asked you to be my father! Lena was my mom for a year before you came along and now that we find this stuff out I don't get a say."

"Honey..."Lena soon began but it was proving to be useless as Mike talked over the both of us.

"Callie, listen it's not that you don't get a say. But I'm your father and if I had known about you I had been there for you and..

"And I don't care! You're not father and I don't want you to be so you leave me alone and don't ever speak to me again! I'm and Adams Foster and you can't tell me what to do!"

"Callie!" I yelled as she ran off to her room slamming the door harder then ever leaving the three of us completely stressed.

"Damm that kid has some temper. I certainly know where she got that from." Mike said laughing awkwardly.

"Oh this funny to you?" I said.

"Of course not Stef. You think it's fun looking like the bad guy? This kids hates me and I'm sure your wife does too." He said looking to Lena.

"Mike I never said such a thing. If I was in your shoes I'd feel the same way ok. I understand. I'm gong to talk to Callie love." Nodding my head I watched my wife walk away into Callie's room as I paced back and forth.

"You think I should give my rights away don't you."

"Mike, I never said such a thing ever and I would never ask you to do that. I know this slapped us all in the face and changed our lives and she's your daughter. And I know if you had known about her you would have been there for her. Ok? So don't try to make me look like the bad guy. It's a tough sitation for all of us."

"Look I get it. I get she loves Lena. I know that and I know she loves you. And its not easy coming in at the last minute after you all have built a family. I barely know that kid and I don't know if she wants me to know her now since I'm taking away something she wants. But I can't do it Stef. I can't just give away my rights. She's my little girl too."

"I know. I know she is."

"Listen I'll stop by tomorrow to talk to her. If that's ok?"

"Sure." I said running my fingers through my short blonde hair knowing fully well how hard it was going to be to get Callie to see him. The situation was proving to be more challenging then ever and knew her feelings for Lena ran deep more then they ever would for Mike.

* * *

LENA POV

Slowly opening Callie's door I saw her on the bed facing the wall. I could hear her sniffing as I quietly walked over taking a seat and rubbing her arm up and down.

"Callie, your dad loves you very much. He does." I said softly as she now turned around to face me and her eyes were filled with tears.

"I don't like him."

"Bug come here. Come sit close to me." As she wiped her tears she sat closer to me as my hands slid into hers.

"Remember the first time you met me?"

"Yes. I was kinda scared of you."

"I know. But then you got to know me and you weren't so scared. Right?"

"Yeah. I ended up liking you alot."

"MM. I liked you very much to Callie. I did. But now I love you and I loved you then too. But your heart who did it fall for first?"

"Mama?"

"Oh yes. I think from day one her heart fell for you and yours for hers. Even if she scared you too. You ended up getting very close to her in a short amount of time. And it took you and me a little longer. Right?"

"I guess. Somewhat. Why?"

"Well some relationships aren't instant. Some take time to develop honey. Many of those end up being just as special as the instant ones."

"Mom I get what you're trying to say. That I shouldn't be angry at Mike. That I should give him a chance."

"Sweetie I can't tell you what to feel or how to feel about someone. I know you wanted to be Adams Foster more then anything. And I know how upset you are. I do sweetheart. I do baby. But you don't really dislike Mike do you?"

"No. It's just not fair mom. It's been a year."

"I know bug and I know sometimes things don't make sense, and I know sometimes things are hard and I know you are having a had time but you now have three parents that love you. Three parents. That is such a blessing because as you know some kids don't even have one parent."

"Well I only need two. You and mama." She said getting up and playing with the pictures on her dresser.

"Honey let me ask you something. Ok?"

"Yes."

"What if Mike had found you first. What if he knew you were his daughter and he had a wife and you went to live with them. Suppose they fell in love with you and you got close to them. Right when they were about to adopt you your mother comes along. And she wants to get to know you and doesn't want you to have their last name. What would you do?"

"I would hug her and tell her I love her."

"Ha. Yes you say this because you know her already and you can't imagine anything different. You can't imagine not loving her. But why would you give her a chance? You were willing to give Mike a chance before you found out you couldn't be Adams Foster honey."

"Mom, I get it I just I want to be apart of you too. I do." She said walking back over and standing between my legs as I held her hands tight.

"Sweetie you don't need my last name for that. Listen I know you are disappointed I know and it's not easy and I'm sure your father feels bad because he sees how upset you are. But giving up parental rights is very hard. Very. I mean him and your mom thought they lost you and to realize they never did that's, that's both amazing and very hard. He just wants to know you honey and he wants to be the father that he never knew he would be. Try not to be angry honey. All of us would do anything for you, anything bug." I smiled as I gently wiped her cheek as tears fell from her eyes.

"But you will have a baby and they will be Adams Foster. That's all I wanted." she said bursting into tears as I grabbed her hugging her tight.

"I love you mama. I love you so much." she mumbled into me.

"Baby I love you too. I love you so much." I gently held her tight rubbing her back as she continued to cry her hardest. I never felt so helpless or useless in my life as Stef stood in the doorway looking just as helpless.


	78. Babies and Names

LENA POV

"So what did the doctor say?" My mother said as she sat in the waiting room for me at the gynecologist office. Earlier last month I had scheduled an appointment to check if my levels were high enough to get pregnant. But I had failed to remind Stef of the appointment figuring she had enough on her plate as it was.

"Well, she said if I want to have a baby we need to start soon."

"Ok how soon?"

"Like now." I said letting out a sigh and rubbing my forehead.

"Oh. Well how do you feel about that? I'm guessing not good? Or didn't you plan on trying now anyway?"

"I was hoping we could try in a couple of months but she said my levels could go down dramatically by then."

"Well, my dear if you want a baby naturally it doesn't seem like you can afford to wait honey."

"I know. It's just with everything going on we haven't even looked for a donor yet and we haven't even talked about it. I just thought we had a little bit more time. I don't know." Shaking my head I placed my head in my hands as I felt my mother softly rub my back.

"Honey in life there will always be a lot going on. Always. And we keep waiting for the perfect time to do something we will just end up waiting and waiting until the opportunity is gone. I mean I didn't plan you. You just popped up."

"What?" I asked turning to look at her.

"I didn't plan you honey. I was studying for my doctorate and your father was working and well you showed up. Granted it was the happiest day of my life when I found out I was pregnant with you. Thing was your father and I wanted children but we just kept putting it off and off and off. Until well you decided for us." she laughed as I let out a smile. "In this life what I have learned baby is that you just have to go one step at a time like I always try to tell 's all you can do."

"It's so much easier said then done mom. It is but thank you."

"Anytime honey. And I am always here for you. And I know your wife is as well. Speaking of which why didn't you bring her with you?"

"She's working alot mom." I lied.

"Lena my dear I somehow feel like Stef would take time out of her day to be with you here. She knows how important this is to you and I am sure it is important to her as well honey."

"Well I didn't tell her I was coming."

"Why?" She asked as I could barely look at her feeling my eyes start to swell up and she carefully lifted my face to look into hers.

"Honey what is it? Come on you are ready to explode."

"Mom we just got married and I feel like we always have issues."

"Ok. Have you talked about these issues?"

"Yes a bit but they still nag at me. I don't know. Just this whole thing with Mike, and Callie hates him now and she's upset because she wants to be an Adams Foster, and Stef is stuck in the middle and I'm trying to act like none of it is hurting my feelings, but it really is."

"Ok baby calm down. Calm down it's ok." She said as I hugged her tightly and she gently kissed the side of my head. "First I will tell you this situation is not an easy one. Not at all. I am sure Stef and Mike feel a tremendous amount of guilt and I'm sure Callie is confused. And I am assuming you feel like an outcast. But with something like this there is no predicating how anyone is going to feel or handle it because it can change from one minute to the next. The best thing all of you can do is communicate as adults and decide what is best for Callie. She is the most important person in all of this baby."

"She's so upset mom. And I don't know what me having a baby will do."

"Honey, it might be challenging right now for all of you. I know it is but you have to continue to talk to her, and to you wife about all of this. You have always made that little girl feel like you love her, like you cherish her and like she is your little girl. Just keep talking to her and all of you will get through this. And see if you can change her last name without you adopting her. There had to be some compromise in all of this."

"I don't even know if it's all about that mom. I think she just really wants me to adopt her. It's more then the name for both of us. I wanted to adopt her mom I did. I still do. But she's Mike's daughter and I have no right to take that from him. And it's not easy. It's not mom." Feeling tears grow in my eyes again she wrapped her arms around me as I let out the biggest cries ever.

"It's ok baby. It's ok."

* * *

"That bites. Like what's the big deal. You would still have his name."

"Yeah I know. It sucks. I don't even want to talk to him anymore. I don't need a father." The young girl shrugged as her and Mariana took the walk home from school.

"I'm sorry Cals. I know how bad you wanted that and I know how bad you wanted Lena to adopt you."

"It's ok. I plan on using it anyway. I don't care. I already wrote it on all my test papers today. He's not the boss of me and he's not my father."

"You are such a rebel Cals." Mariana laughed as she shook her head.

"Have you met my mother? I didn't get this way alone. Shes's like the ultimate rebel."

"Actually no. Besides when I ratted you out and talked to her on the phone. Sorry about that."

"Don't worry. I'm glad you did. I don't even know where I would have went anyway. Do you want to stop by the police station and say hi?"

"Sure." As the two girls continued to chit chat and walk towards the station they both walked in as Callie saw Stef sitting at her desk on the computer. To this day she still got excited as the young Latin girl followed.

"Mama!"

Looking away from her computer the blonde smiled as she saw the two girls and Callie running to her as she now stood up and opened her arms.

"Hey babygirl. This is a nice surprise!" Hugging her warmly she planted a kiss on her head as she smiled at both girls.

"I know. I wanted you to meet my best friend, Mariana. Mariana this my mama. I know you guys met but I never introduced you."

"Hi sweetheart. It's nice to officially meet you." Stef said extending her hand out as Mariana smiled wide herself shaking it back.

"It's nice to meet you too Mrs. Adams Foster."

"Call me Stef honey." She reassured as the smile remained on the Latin girls face.

"So how was school sweetness?" Stef asked gently stroking Callie's long hair.

"It was ok. Nothing amazing but it was ok. When did you get off ma?"

"Mm not for another few hours baby. Have to work a little later then usual. But I can swing out and drive you both home."

"Can Mari come over mama? I mean if you want Mariana?" she asked looking to her friend who nodded.

"Well I'd rather you two weren't in the apartment alone, but mom should be there soon since she has a board meeting. Did you tell her you stopped by here so she doesn't worry love?"

"No. She left school early."

"She did?" the blonde asked confused.

"Yeah. She said she would meet me at home."

"Oh. Well maybe you can go over Mariana's? Is that ok love?" she asked looking to the young Latin girl who smiled wide.

"Sure. My grandmother is home she won't mind."

"Are you sure? I can call and ask her."

"No it's fine Mrs. Ad... I mean Stef. It's fine."

"Ok well let me have the number anyway so I can thank her. Ok?"

"Sure." Handing the girl a paper to write the number Callie remained in her mother's arms as she soon saw Mike walk in and her face grew angry as he had not seen her yet.

"Ok let me grab my bag and I'll drop you guys."

"We can walk mama it's nice out."

"Yes it is but I need to patrol anyway." She said now seeing Mike walk over and a smile grew on his face as he noticed his daughter who turned around now and her face grew angry.

"Hey Callie. I can drop you and Mariana if you want."

"No that's ok. I'd rather walk then go anywhere with you."

"Callie." Stef warned. "That is not nice and that is not how you speak to your father."

"He's not my father. No way! You are my mama and father and so is Lena! I am Callie Adams Foster and nothing will ever change that!" Callie yelled as she ran out the door screaming.


	79. I Wish

STEF POV

"Callie Stefanie Marie Foster I have told you time and time again not to run off like that!"

"It's Callie Stefanie Marie Adams Foster mama! That's my name and it always will be. I don't care what he wants!"

"Callie I understand you are upset. Mama does but I am not going to warn you again about your attitude. It is completely unacceptable and me and mom are teaching you better then this. I get you are angry at your father. I understand that but..." I said as I sat down and grabbed both of her hands as tears ran down her face.

"But you don't understand mama! You didn't grow up being pushed around and having everyone else making all your decisions for you. I never got a choice about anything in my life. Nothing from day one and it's not fair! I just want to be able to have a say so about one thing in my life. Just one mama and the only thing I ever wanted was for you to be my mama more then anything and for Lena to be my mom. I have never wanted anything more in life."

"Oh baby I understand that. God do I understand that I am so sorry for what happened to you. You have no idea how sorry I am. I wish I had known. God baby I wish I had known that you were out there, that those awful things happened to you, I wish I had known that someone stole you from me and I wish I had saved you earlier in your life. Both me and mom feel that way and so does your father my love. I am sorry you never got any choices in your life,I am so sorry for that and I never want to deny you having the freedom to make your own decisions. I don't and I never will. But sweetheart I want you to understand something, yes? Please look at me." I said softly as her eyes now looked sadly into mine. They were so hurt and I knew it was more then just her last name, I knew it was from the years she suffered under foster care, I knew it was from the pain she experienced and I knew it was from the life she had been given prior to us finding each other. It was the pain of being taken from me and Mike and not realizing it until now and it was pain I could never take away no matter how hard I tried.

"Babygirl I know you want Lena to adopt you. I know it. I know you want it more then anything just as much as you wanted me to adopt you before we knew you were biologically mine." Softly I wiped her cheek as the tears continued to stream down her face.

"It's not fair what happened to me mama. Why did someone have to steal me? Why did they have to take me from you. Why?"

"I don't know honey. There are alot of bad people in this world that do things like that and hurt others. And believe me I wish that never ever happened. I would do anything for that not to have happened to you sweetheart. Anything. Come here. Come here sweetheart." I said as she wrapped her arms around my neck crying hysterically. "It's ok sweetheart. It's ok. I got you."

"It's hard mama. It's really hard."

"I know it is. I know. " I said holding her tight as she pulled away. "Sit next to me baby." As she took a seat beside me I gently wiped her tears as she held my hand so tight.

"Sweetheart I know you don't know Mike very well but I know him and the day we lost you he was devastated. He was honey and it killed him. Yes it killed me too but it affected him differently then me. He wanted to be a father so bad so very badly and when we found out we were having a girl he was just beside himself. He set up a college account for you, he even started planning trips for when you got older, and he wrote you a song he use to sing to me everynight when I was pregnant with you."

"Really?" she said with her eyes growing wide.

"Yes. You were his little girl from day one and mine and believe me he is not out to hurt you, to ruin your life or to take anything from you. Just like me he wants to be your parent sweetheart. The parent he always wanted to be and never got to be. Lena is very much still your mother and she always, always will be and you are so lucky to have three parents that would do anything in the world for you. Anything. I would have loved to have a relationship with my father but I just was not so lucky and from what I saw you had a good time with him the times you did go out. Yes?"

"Yeah."

"So do me a favor my princess just give him a chance. But it is your choice."

Nodding her head I leaned in and softly kissed her forehead as I saw Mike walk over to us looking nervous. Callie feeling his presence turned to look at him but her eyes diverted back to the ground as I squeezed it tighter.

"Hey Cal." he said putting his hands in his pockets nervously as I let out a soft smile. "Do you mind if I sit?"

Nodding her head he took a seat beside her.

"I'll let you both talk."

"No it's ok stay. I need you to hear this too." He said.

"Callie listen I'm not trying to hurt you honey. I'm not. I Just want a chance to be your father. I want a chance to get to know you and for us to hang out and I don't want anything to come between us that could ruin it. I'm not a bad guy and I know you love Lena and I know she loves you. I get you feel like you never had a choice in life about anything and you got pushed around and decisions were made for you. That can't be easy and I don't want to do that to you. I really don't'. Look I'm never giving up on you and you will always be apart of me, always. You will always be Callie Foster to me but if it's that important to you Callie Adams Foster has a nice ring to it as well."

"Mike..." I whispered as his eyes looked saddened and Callie stared at him.

"I love you Cals. I do and I loved you from the time your mother and I found out she was pregnant and I would love nothing more then to kill the person that took you from us. Honestly. But like I said I don't want to take your freedom away and your choices. I want you to feel like you have a say so in things and I don't want it to become all about what I want. If you want Lena to adopt you I understand it. I do and I'll always be you're father regardless of what you decide. But I won't be angry or upset. I will understand because I know she's been a mother to you for a year and I, I can't take that from you."

Feeling tears fall from my eyes I could only imagine how hard this was for him. I could only imagine the pain he was in as he spoke these words and I could only imagine how it was tearing him apart. The situation was hard and I couldn't say what was the right choice or the wrong choice. But part of me felt for Lena and the other part for Mike. He was biologically hers and I would never ever ask him ever to give up his rights and I just didn't know if leaving this in Callie's hands was the best choice. This was a big decision and she was only 13 years old at that with a ton of issues we still needed to sort through. It would be a hard choice for anyone even an adult I thought as I now looked down to her and she looked to me.

"Mama?"

* * *

 **So do you think Mike did the right thing?**


	80. Too Young?

LENA POV

"So he left it in her hands?" I said changing into my pajamas as Stef changed out of her uniform looking more exhausted than ever.

"Yup."

"Well that's a really big thing to put in her lap. Don't you think?"

"I do. But he wants a relationship with her so bad and doesn't want her angry at him that he is willing to give up his rights for her. I mean I get it but at the same time I, I don't know Lena. Honestly. I mean if I was him I don't know how I would feel either or what I would do. But I did encourage her to give him a chance and see that he is not a bad person trying to ruin her life."

"Well what did Callie say?"

"Nothing. She didn't give him an answer." She said as I heard her lock her gun away and I sat on the bed thinking.

"Stef, I love Callie and I would love to adopt her more then anyone knows, but I would never ever ask Mike to give up his rights and I don't know if it was fair to allow Callie to make such a big choice at her age. I get it I really do but I don't know if it's the best thing. She has so many other things we need to deal with and adding something like this I don't think it's the best thing. Sure we all want her to be happy but I don't know love I think she is just far to young."

"I agree on that one my love. I do and I do think she is too young to decide something like this. Believe me I wish Mike had spoken to us before he talked to her. Believe me and I had no clue he was going to even say that to her."

"It's just I can't imagine thinking my baby is dead and then I find out 13 years later she is alive. I just, I can't imagine what you and Mike are feeling baby and I want you to know I am with you. I am."

"Sweetheart I know you are my love. Honestly I do. It's not an easy situation for any of us and I am glad we all agree that Callie is the main priority." she said taking a seat next to me. "And I want you to know I am on your side my love. I really am."

"I know you are my love." I said gently rubbing her back up and down over her black tank top.

"How did Mike sound when he was talking to Callie?"

"Like it was killing him. Which it is to be honest." she said running her fingers through her short hair. "But I know it's killing you too baby."

"I am ok honey. But maybe we need to talk to him. I know he gave Callie the choice but I think we should talk to him about this and what really is best for her. "

"I know. I didn't get a chance to today at all my love. But enough about that how was your day?" she asked now looking me dead in the face.

"It was ok. The same. Busy."

"Yeah? Where did you go?"

"To school honey." I laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah just to school? Callie mentioned you left early." Swallowing hard and looking to the ground it was such a bad time to mention this and I couldn't even get it out myself. It would seem selfish and uncaring not to mention inappropriate.

"Lena? Talk to me love. Please. Don't hide from me."

"I'm not honey. I'm not hiding."

"Ok then where did you go baby?"

" Well I just went to the gynecologist."

"Oh? Why didn't you tell me? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah. Of course everything is fine honey." I brushed off hoping she wouldn't pry anymore or that this wouldn't turn into another argument.

"Honey?" she said softly and sliding her hand into mine. "What is it? Come on and tell me baby I don't bite you know."

"I know that. It's just, well I was talking to the doctor about...

"About having a baby?"

"Yeah."

"And what did she say?"

" That I don't have much time and my levels could just plummet at anytime. Bascially if I want any chance I have to start now. Well we have to start now."

"And you weren't going to tell me this baby?"

"I wish I just there was so much going on lately I just didn't want to add to it."

"Well sure but baby this is something we decided on together and something we agreed to do together. I would have loved to have went with you and supported you. You should know that regardless of what we have going on that this is important. That your needs are important as well my love. You are my wife and the situation with our little girl will get resolved, it will but this has a time limit. And I'm not about to let it slip away. You do so much for me, so much for Callie and never anything for you. Ever. So let's get this donor and make a baby." she smiled as I felt a tear fall down my face.

"Really?"

"Yes. But you have to trust me. You have to talk to me and not doubt me. Please." she said cupping my cheek with her hand. "I wanted to be there with you today but you didn't give me the chance baby."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. You just have to remember that we are a team so lets act like one. Yes?"

"Yes."

"Good. I love you Lena. I love you so much baby." she smiled softly at me as I gladly returned it.

"I love you too. I love you so much." Leaning in we softly kissed as our lips pressed against each others and she laid me down on the bed soon topping me.

"Want to make love?" she whispered rubbing my face and kissing me once again.

"Yes. More then anything."

* * *

As young Callie Foster sat at the breakfast table she pushed her eggs around feeling her stomach turn. On one hand she was happy Mike had given her a choice but on the other she felt confused and conflicted. If she chose to let Lena adopt her she would feel bad for Mike. If she chose not to have Lena adopt her she would feel bad for Lena. In her mind there was just no right decision and yes she was finally given a choice in something but right now she was feeling the heavy burden of it. Maybe it was better leaving it in the hands of her parents so she could just go along with what they said and taking the weight off of her. In her mind she kept recalling what her mama said about Mike and how excited he was when Stef was pregnant with her. The weight of that story was hanging heavy on her as well. She also had noticed how quiet her mother had been the day before almost as if she wanted to tell Callie what to do but had held back. Stef's opinion always mattered to her more then anyone's on earth and right now she honestly just wanted her to decide for her regardless of her wishes in the past.

"Hey bug ready for the day?" Lena said coming into the kitchen happily and pouring her coffee for she had planned the day for them to go strawberry picking. It had been some time since the two of them had been able to do something alone together and she was feeling like it was more important then anything else right now. With Mike laying such a heavy decision on the girl which Lena did not approve of and neither did Stef she knew the girl was troubled. Both her and Stef had decided to talk to Mike about it feeling they could come up with a better solution to the difficult situation. Of course Lena didn't want Callie to think she didn't want her either and end up making the girl feel worse. They needed to tred lightly and be careful for Callie was still very vulnerable and had a shit load of abandonment issues.

"Yeah I guess." she shrugged continuing to push her eggs around.

"What's wrong sweetheart? Would you rather to do something else?" she asked tucking the girls hair behind her ear. "Mama is gonna meet us as well after he shift is over."

"No it's fine. I don't mind." she shrugged again as Lena took a seat beside her at the table and placing her hand on top of Callie's.

"Sweetheart. I can see something is wrong. Is it about your dad?"

"No and I don't want to talk about it so just leave me alone!" She yelled running to her room as the slim woman let out a sigh. Glancing to her phone she quickly texted her wife who had left for work early.

Stef we need to talk to Mike today. Callie is a mess.-xo Lena

I know my love. He will come by the apartment tonight. My mom can watch Callie. -xoS

Sure. But we need to talk to her as well. I'm thinking we can talk when you meet us at the strawberry field like we decided last night?"

Of course. I'll be there around 2pm. But I'll give her a call. Love you baby.-Xo Stef

I love you too. Be safe sweetheart. -xo L

I always am for you. Love you babe. -xo S

Love you too. -Xo L


End file.
